With the sound of metal grating across metal, the chain was split cleanly in half and they whizzed by both sides of her. The right half of the chain blazed closely by her face, and she felt her cheek part and bleed. The chain halves slammed hard into the ground behind her and billowed a cloud of dust and dirt into the air.
Zelda focused and took in the figure in front of her. It was a boy, as tall as her, thin and well defined. He had fair skin, long ears and shiny blonde hair. He was wearing a green tunic with a large brimmed collar, and underneath a red long-sleeved shirt. He had brown shorts that reached just past his knees, brown boots and, most noticeably a long green toque over the top of his head.
Her trembling intensifying, she brought a shaking hand up and over her mouth, and she stepped back to get a better look. When she did, he finally spoke.
"It's better if you stand still," he said.
Zelda gasped silently. It was his voice. It was him.
He turned his head slightly, and glanced back at her with those same intensely blue eyes. He then lowered his split-bladed Razorsword to his side. "I'm sorry…Zelda," he said quietly. "I wasn't fast enough. I let you get hurt."
The cut on her cheek. Zelda held it lightly, but her gaze never left him. "…. Link?" she whispered.
Rin was staring at the two with considerable confusion.
"What is this?" The Devil snarled angrily. He detached his ruined chain, and produced a new one.
Link turned his deadly glare towards the assassin. "You've hurt my Princess," he whispered with a cold menace.
"Who the hell are you?"
Link's scowl turned into a mirthless smile. "I'm your blue-eyed devil."
************
The Legend of Zelda: Her Story
Chapter 13: Greetings Link.
By: The Kirby Kid
Disclaimer:
The Legend of Zelda™ is copyright of Nin-ten-do (It's a video game!)
Authors Notes:
I just gotta say, life gets in the way sometimes ya know. I had an interesting few months, hows about you? Thanks as always to Fate, Faethin, idiotbx, Armageddon ( love your reviews goddammit ), Snowsilver, Evil Neptune, Natalie and everyone else who reads this dark tale of macabre and the occult.
No…wait, wrong fic.
Anyhow, like I always say enjoy. On with the tale.
************
"You're my blue-eyed devil?" the man repeated derisively. With one strong leap he blasted from the earth and vaulted back atop the thin tree branch, which swayed precariously but was able to maintain its strength. His dark green rags swayed in the slight wind, as did the chains that rattled from his large metal gauntlets, and his visible eye was focused squarely on the newcomer who had just interrupted his assassination attempt.
Link stood directly in front of Zelda and was looking up at the would-be killer. In his left hand was gripped the Razorsword, a long and thin blade that was split down the middle and acted as both a single and double-edged sword. On his right forearm was strapped a small round shield. His weapons were pointed towards the ground, and there was a look of pure malice on his face.
Rin wasn't too far off, but he was still struggling against his magic cage. He looked at Link and the assassin with confusion.
Wiping the anti-Wisdom water from her face, Zelda observed the whole scene as if it were a scene from a novel. It just seemed impossible, completely out of the blue. Link was back! Just like that, after all this time. Why?
"You presume too much, boy."
Zelda blinked and looked up at the Blue Eyed Devil. He was repeatedly swinging his left arm and chain in a figure eight while at the same time his right arm was behind him, circling the chain and building up momentum.
"There's a reason they call me a Devil…" the assassin sneered.
Link raised his Razorsword just slightly and narrowed his fierce blue eyes. "What are you doing? Interpretive dance?"
The single visible eye crinkled in anger as the assassin scowled from beneath his cloth.
"Why don't you just bring it on?" Link added.
The attack was launched so quickly that Zelda barely saw it. The assassin swung his left arm out and struck with his razor-edged chain. Link brought up his sword in and instant to block the attack. The chain struck it at the edge of the blade with a sharp ringing sound, and then it fell to the ground. Zelda, Rin and the assassin gaped at the chain. The target of the attack was gone.
"What the…" Zelda whispered.
"That's it…?"
The voice came from the assassin's left. He whirled and saw Link standing there on the same branch, as if he were as light as a Keaton. Zelda and Rin were staring owlishly. How did he get there?
The assassin stared back at the green-tuniced boy with rage. "You-"
Link didn't wait for him to finish. He simply kicked him off the branch. The assassin waved his arms around in a futile attempt to regain his balance, and he plummeted to the earth. As he did he whipped around his chains and struck back at the boy. Link was hit square in the chest and was knocked off the branch. With a large crash, the two of them hit the ground at nearly the same time.
With a gasping groan, Link struggled to his feet with his arm clutching his chest. The assassin, uninjured, sprung up and struck again with both chains.
Reacting quickly, Link blocked the chains with his shield, blasted forward, slashed his sword up and came to a skidding halt a few feet behind the assassin in one instant.
Green Leaf Style: Counter Flow!
The assassin shuddered momentarily before blood spurted from his body in a cut that arced from his chest to his back. He fell to the ground and didn't move again.
There was a resounding silence in the clear area behind the inn. Zelda stood staring at Link, Link stood staring ahead at nothing, and Rin was still bent over within his cage, and was staring at the both of them.
"Ku! Ku!"
Moto had peeked out from within Zelda's blouse and had greeted Link cheerfully. Link turned towards him and smiled slightly. "Hello Moto," he responded.
Zelda's eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth. "Hello Moto!?" she asked incredulously.
Just then Rin tried to escape his cage, and when the magic attacked him he let out a bark of pain. Zelda turned towards him and began to pick out the daggers from the earth that held Rin fast.
"After all this time, and that's what he's got to say? "Hello Moto?""
After picking out the last dagger, the cage dispersed completely. Rin stood up and stretched, keeping a sharp eye on Link. "Thanks, Itali."
Link turned to him, freezing his sheathing of his sword, and Zelda's eyes grew wide in surprise.
"What did you say?" Link asked suddenly.
"It's okay!" Zelda said before he could respond. "I know him from Hyrule. Link…" she could hardly believe she was saying that name again… "I'm not really comfortable talking here…"
Link nodded and slammed his sword into its sheath and his sword behind it. "I, uh…actually have a room in this inn. We can go there if you want, Princess."
Glancing over at the building a few yards in front of them, Zelda sighed and looked back at Rin. "Guess we'll have that rest after all."
Rin shrugged and said nothing.
"Let's go," Zelda said, before she stepped close to Link, and then started towards the inn.
************
Zelda saw that the little room was neat and tidy even though it had supposedly been used for a couple of days. Link was a bit of a neat freak…totally the opposite of Invincible. There was one wooden bed, a desk with a lamp and chair as furnishings and it was equipped with a bathroom. Link stood aside as Zelda and Rin entered.
Rin glanced around the room, noting the furnishings and nodding approvingly. "Suddenly…I do feel like a break," he murmured. He took a glimpse back at Link and Zelda and added, "I'm going to downstairs. Hope you don't mind if I charge the room."
Shrugging his baldric off of his shoulders, Link gave Rin a nod and the Gerudo boy exited the room, shutting the door behind him.
There was that aching silence again. Zelda stood looking at Link for a moment, and then sat on the foot of the well-made bed. Link paused and followed her, and sat on the bed's side.
There was more silence. Zelda heard Link sigh out and bounce the bed slightly. "I'm sorry about that 'Hello Moto' remark," he said warily.
"It's okay. I'm sure you were just really glad to see him."
Link lowered his head and sighed again. "I deserve that. Princess…you know I'm glad to see you too."
"Do I?" A chuckle escaped from her and she smiled slightly. She had always thought that if Link returned, she'd have a lot to say. She'd berate him about how horrible she felt after he left, and what she went through. She should have been talking his ear off…instead she could barely say anything.
"That guy looks kind of tough," Link supposed, nodding towards the door. "Kinda thin, but I'm one to talk…"
Zelda laughed. "Don't worry about Rin, he's kinda tame." The exchange kept her at ease and she began to open up more. "Listen, Link. I'm sorry I was such a jerk. It's okay to be nervous, I totally understand what…what you're…" She trailed off when she noticed that Link had become completely still. His hands were squeezing the bed covering so tightly that his knuckles where turning white. His eyes were pressed shut.
"You said… 'Rin?'"
A hand flew to her mouth as Zelda realized her mistake. What was wrong with her? She had called him Fala before. "Link…"
"That guy is the 'Rin'?"
Before Zelda could answer Link got up to his feet, and stormed out of the room and downstairs. Zelda got up and rushed after him. She was right behind him as Link walked under the archway into the simple inn restaurant and bustled to Rin's table as the boy was just beginning to break some bread.
Rin saw Link coming. Zelda wondered if he was able to recognize the intent in Link's eyes or if it was Link's pseudo resemblance to Invincible himself. Either way it didn't matter. Rin jumped to his feet and his right and twitched. Link clasped his left hand into a fist and drew it back.
The restaurant that day was only party filled with patrons who saw the spectacle of two men supposedly about to come to blows, only to see them freeze in their tracks. Both Rin and Link blinked in surprise, and Link gritted his teeth as he struggled against his invisible restraints.
Zelda walked between the two of them and flashed her blue-green eyes towards her old friend. "Upstairs. Now."
"Zelda…" Link growled quietly.
"Now, Link!" Zelda pleaded. "I promise I'll tell you everything. Please!" With that, Zelda released the bind she had on both Link and Rin. Zelda took a step back while Link tried visibly to control his rage. When she reached for him, he shrugged away and stomped back upstairs. Rin opened his mouth to say something, but Zelda put her finger up in the air to stop him. "If you ever raise a hand against him again, Nayru help me…"
"I was defending myself!" Rin hissed. Zelda didn't stay to listen; she headed back upstairs and back to Link. The last thing she heard from the restaurant was Rin addressing the other customers: "What!?"
************
Link waited patiently for the girl to reach the room, but as soon as she was in, he slammed the door shut behind her and turned to face her. He could barely control his anger. "Tell me what you're doing with him!" he shouted.
Zelda stood her ground and looked back at him with a similar seething expression. "Who do you think you are, demanding anything of me?" she said quietly.
Guilt rose up to his cheeks and forced Link to take a step back while Zelda walked over to the bed and sat once more. "I'm sorry. But that…that guy killed Invincible!"
"You don't think I know that?"
The statement took link aback, and he glanced away trembling. Of course she'd know that…she was there.
Zelda patted a spot on the bed next to her and bade Link to sit down. "I'm going to tell you everything."
***
As Link listened to her story, he found it harder and harder to stay calm. His fists tightened as he struggled to continue to listen. All the while, arcs of pain were shooting up and down his spine, arms and legs. The more he listened, the worse it got. It got to a point when Link was squinting his eyes and gripping his chest without even noticing it. Zelda noticed it though. She stared at him with concern in her eyes, and it also looked that she noticed for the first time the bandages that wrapped underneath his red shirt and brown shorts.
"Link what's wrong?"
Forcefully letting out a breath, Link glanced away and tugged on his sleeve in an attempt to hide the bandages. "Nothing," he lied. "It's not important. What's important is that you've been through a lot and…well I guess if you want to take him along then…"
"You understand?"
Link nodded and Zelda rose to her feet. "All right. Then I'll get him up here." She turned and headed for the door.
"I just hope you know what you're doing," Link whispered. Whether Zelda heard him or not, he didn't know. He was sitting on the bed with his hands gripping his knees, trying hard to control his breathing. He didn't want to get angry, but with that guy around he was quickly losing it. He'd have to find a way or…
Zelda returned to the room with Rin in tow. Link glanced at her and avoided looking at him. Instead he said, "This room is yours, but whatever you do I suggest you don't stay here too long." With that he rose to his feet. He noticed Rin walking towards him.
"Listen, the Princess told me about you. I…I'm sorry, I need you to know that."
He was sorry. Link supposed he would be too, after he snapped the guy's neck like a twig. The pain wracked through his body, up through his face and into his eyes. He had to get out of there. He brushed by the Gerudo. "Really…you don't understand…" Rin repeated, this time putting a hand on Link's shoulder.
Link's eye flashed open and his control was shattered. He slapped Rin's hand off him, clutched the other boys throat and slammed him against the wall so hard the one picture that hung on it crashed to the floor, sending glass everywhere in a slow spray. Rin's eye bulged and Link could see his own reflection off of them, and he could see that his own eyes had changed. Just like last time. The black pupil had dissipated into a swirl that flowed clockwise through the blue of his eyes. Just like the last time.
Rin saw it too and called out to Zelda before Link could crush his throat shut. "Look at his eyes! Look at them!" he shouted.
Zelda walked between them and paced her hands on Link's arms. Her magic was preventing him from killing the boy. In any case he didn't want her to see him like this. "What's he talking about?" she said as she tried to get a better look at his face. Link squeezed his eyes shut and tried to look away, but Zelda forced him to face her. When she saw the change, she clasped a hand over her mouth. It made Link feel even worse. "Link… What happened?"
She released the magical hold she had on him, and Link stumbled backwards. Glancing at both Rin and Zelda, he settled himself and started towards the door. "I'm going downstairs," he said.
Before he closed the door, he turned halfway towards the Princess and added, "Zelda, please don't use your magic against me again." Then he left and closed the door behind him.
************
It was closing time, but because it was a slow night the restaurant was already dark and empty. There were about twenty round tables in the tiny inn eatery, and all save one was vacant. A young man in a green tunic occupied the one that was still in use.
Zelda came from the stairwell and walked softly towards the table. She saw that he was eating tomato-rice soup, which wasn't surprising seeing as to how it was his favourite. She smiled to herself and walked up next to him. "May I?"
Link gulped, handed a spoon to her and gestured towards the spare seat. Zelda sat, leaned towards the soup and began to eat quietly. They ate like that for some time, before Zelda broke the silence. "I am very, very upset with you, Link."
"I know," Link answered. "I'm sorry."
"Link, I'm way beyond apologies." She sighed and dipped her spoon into the soup once more. "I just want to know why."
There was a minute of silence, and then Link answered by saying, "It was Itali."
"Itali?"
"She needed my help."
Hearing this, Zelda bit her lip and stared into her soup. Link caught the change in expression and raised a placating hand. "We were just friends. It's just…When I got there, to the Dark World, things got difficult. I had a hard time getting back. When I did…I just…I had to stay away for a while. Then I heard about Invincible…and I had to see you no matter what. I was worried…"
"I don't understand why you couldn't have contacted me! Or Luto. You could have at least contacted Luto…even if you didn't want to communicate to me."
Link didn't answer. There was more silence. Then Zelda asked, "What's with those bandages, and your eyes?"
He sighed and blinked self-consciously. He had checked his eyes a few moments ago, and they were normal. Still, it was expected that Zelda would ask. "Don't worry about it," Link said assuredly. Zelda didn't buy it. He was still not talking with her. What had happened to him in the Dark World?
"It's not a problem. The bandages are just because of a rash I picked up while I was away." Link looked up suddenly and peered into Zelda's eyes. "Don't worry, it…it's not contagious or anything."
"I know," Zelda said with a smile. "I know because you're letting me eat with you. You wouldn't if you were sick or if it was catching. I trust you Link." The smile fell off her face and she glanced into the soup again. "It's too bad you don't trust me."
Link's mouth opened slightly, and he also stared into the soup, which seemed happy to get the attention. "I'm sorry Zelda. I know I've let you down…all of you. Luto and Talon and Rocco and my Uncle and your parents…and Invincible." Turning the soup around in its bowl for a moment, he added, "I just hope you can accept me now, because if it's possible, I'd like to accompany you on your journey."
Zelda's spoon dropped into the bowl and she looked at him intently. "Link…"
"Come on." Link smiled at her and added, "I promise I won't run away."
"Link…" Zelda leaned back on her chair, crossed her legs and placed her hands on her knees. "Sorry, don't believe you. But if you just happened to follow along, I wouldn't object. Don't get me wrong; I'm still pretty cross… " Rising from her seat, she finished by saying, "But I'll get over it," and turned towards the stairwell. She didn't go up it though, instead she stood still, keeping her face away from him and she added, "All I ever wanted for to stay with m-us." With that she started towards the stairwell, but was stopped when Link took a hold of her arm.
"Do you really think you can trust that guy?" Link whispered. "He killed an innocent person just to save one of his own. That's not even vengeance, Zelda. That's murder. He thinks he's completely justified. That's really dangerous."
Of course, Zelda had been asking herself the same question for many days now. "Link," she started as she turned to face him, "He asked me once if I were in the same situation…that if it was Tibalt or mother or Talon…if I would do what he did." She clasped her hands behind her back. "What do you think?"
"I think…" Link started angrily. "That my mother and father and Uncle who were and are Knights wouldn't do it…even to save my life, because it's against a Knights code. I real hero is supposed to sacrifice his own life…not the life of an innocent." He looked at Zelda and added, "I'd use my life to save yours Zelda…or my Uncle or Luto or any of my close friends, but I wouldn't take an innocent life to save anyone." When Zelda didn't answer after a while he asked, "What do you think?"
Zelda brought a hand up to her face and rubbed at her eyes warily. "I still don't know what I'd do," Zelda sighed. "And I hope that I never will." That said, Zelda went upstairs to get some sleep. According to Rin, she'd need it after all. It wouldn't be long until they reached the Ghanim Fortress.
************
The Ghanim Fortress is nigh
As is the object of this quest: The child, Nubarin.
But even as this small group have trust in their abilities,
The will find that there is more at risk than the life of one girl.
There is risk to Wisdom itself.
Next Chapter:
The Legend of Zelda: Her Story
Jezarin's Plan
***
Well I'm not abandoning this story, even though I've got quite a few others planned, this is still one of my favourites. It's just…. well since I'm in my last semester, things have gotten extremely busy. When I'm not working, I'm sleeping. I don't even have time to play anymore. Actually I'm forgoing precious project and assignment time to write this. But it was worth it…I hope. O_o.
Last chapter I suggested Snowsilver's "The Destiny Stone", and I still do. My suggested reading this chapter is "Spirit of the Desert", which is written by Weegie. If you're looking at a well-written take into the Gerudo lifestyle and you're a Nabooru fan, check this fic out. Later! –The Kirby Kid.