The Legend of Oni
By DarkBlacknoid
CHAPTER ONE:
Of the Legends
Impa took a deep breath of the scented wind that breathed through the greenest ash trees in all of Hyrule. She sat alone in the shade of the trees she liked to go to when her body needed a break from the work of the half-completed Hyrule Castle. She was thirsty but too tired to hunt down one of the many water boys and girls that hung around the building site to give a weary worker a drink. For right now, she just wanted to sit and admire the beauty around her.
As Impa soaked in her good mood, her eyes fell upon Kiad'Eron coming up her way. He looked tired and worn out as he slumped beneath another tree across from her with a big sigh. Eron looked out back towards the Castle with longing eyes and Impa noticed, sitting up. Forcing her sturdy legs to work, Impa rose and strolled over to Eron with a warm smile.
"May I join you?" She asked still smiling and the dark man gave her a small grin and nodded her permission. Impa settled next to him comfortably and followed his gaze that had returned to the Castle. "Something troubling you today?"
Eron turned back to look at her and gave a quirky smile. "No, nothing out of the ordinary. I suppose I feel a bit whipped. Princess Zelda and Nabooru ordered me to take a break for they believed I was working too hard." He laughed a little and shrugged. "Of course, I do not know why they would say so. I do what I feel I can, and I believed I could have kept going a little while longer."
"Well, I'm afraid I'd have to agree with them, Eron. I believe you work too hard because you're hard on yourself." Impa said. Eron looked away again, his smile gone.
"I must be hard on myself, Impa."
"You only think so." Impa replied knowing his stubbornness when it came to the way he dealt with himself. To everyone else, he would give the world to, but when it came to himself, he felt he barely deserved life or death.
Eron stared out blankly again, as was his habit. Impa did not understand what he meant, and it was all right. He could not think of any in the world that could understand. It was best kept to himself, anyway. It was not causing any problems and he was going to keep it that way.
After a few idle moments, Impa sighed and looked around. "I must find a water carrier. Are you thirsty too?" Eron immediately stood up like a soldier.
"Don't worry yourself about it, I'll go find one. Just sit here and wait for me." He said nicely and was off before Impa could say otherwise. She stood there for a moment then shrugged her shoulders, sitting down on the grass again. A few short minutes went by when Eron came back into sight. He carried a little water boy upon his shoulders with the water bucket in his own dark-skinned hand, laughing. Coming up to Impa in the grass, he set the bucket down then the boy.
"I told Emerick here, that he may rest with us a minute. He's been working hard too, haven't you Emerick?" Eron ruffled the boy's sun blonde hair and he laughed.
"Yep! I sure have! Father tells me that I'll grow strong soon that I can hang up the bucket and help out with the real work." The young Emerick puffed out his chest, trying to impress the adults around him. Eron smiled at him as Impa took a sip of the cool water.
"You have a great serving spirit, Emerick, but working on the Castle is very hard, back breaking work." Impa told him patting the ground next to her so he would sit down.
"I'm not afraid. Father says that once the Castle is rebuilt then maybe everything will be peaceful again. He said that since the Goddesses aren't worthy anymore then we all have to work for ourselves. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to work hard so that he will be proud of me." He smiled looking out with visions in his head about great recognition for his courage and hard work by Princess Zelda and Link.
Impa frowned. "Emerick, why would your father tell you that the Goddesses are unworthy?" The boy seemed to stop his daydream and think about her question with uncertainty then looked up again with feigned assurance.
"Because. He's right. My Father is very brave and smart. He knows everything." Emerick grinned thinking of his father who was his idol.
"Well, I might have to disagree with your Father, Emerick." Eron said. "It is true that one Goddess turned out to be our bane…" He sighed trying to gather his thoughts. "But Farore and Nayru have never abandoned us. I know at times it seems that they are no where to be seen and they would not help us, but their love for us has no bounds. The Triforce is a symbol of their love and it cannot be destroyed. They help us each and every day while we work on the things that mean something to us. It was by their power that we have peace today. They do not have to show themselves directly to help us. They have other ways in aiding us and it is usually in the way we least expect it." Emerick seemed to sit and soak Eron's words in, trying to understand what he meant and if his father could possibly be wrong.
"But how can you be sure?" He finally said trying to reassure his beliefs.
"How?" Eron stood up and stroked the branch of the tree they sat under. "How do you explain Miss Impa here?"
Impa, who had been sitting quietly through all of this, perked up. She looked at Emerick, who looked confused. Eron was at it again.
"What do you mean?" He asked scrunching up his nose in a puzzled fashion.
"Impa is a Sage. She is a messenger of the Goddesses whether they realize it themselves or not. The Sages are warriors for the upholding of righteousness. Do you know where their laws are made? From the great wisdom of Nayru…and do you know where their life comes from and your own? It comes from Farore, the Goddess that created life. They love you and they would not leave you alone against the sin of the world…they always work things out for good. That's why the Sages are here."
Emerick poked at the grass absently chewing over the words Eron just said. He was not sure what to say. Eron smiled a little. "Don't let this worry you too much. You're just a boy right now, but all I ask is for you to remember what I have said just so you'll know both sides of the story." Emerick nodded and Impa could sense him being pleased.
Soon after the chat was over and Impa, Eron and Emerick were well watered, Emerick was off to his duties again with the words forever imprinted in his mind and heart. Eron returned to his place in the grass next to Impa, who was smiling at him.
"You are amazing, you know? I cannot possibly understand where you get this wisdom from." Impa was beaming at him, but Eron seemed to be more somber.
"I can't say I'm amazing…but people need to know the truth about Nayru and Farore…especially children. They need to learn the courage of Farore like Link has so that when evil things do happen…they can have the courage to fight it…"
"You know all of this reminds me of an old Sheikah tale that we used to tell our children." Impa sat back on her hands remembering her childhood years with longing. "It was about a great warrior named Oni. He was the father of our people, so the legends say, and he helped defeat a great evil with the combined powers of the Goddesses. But what mostly dominated his personality was the courage that was granted to him from Farore and he could rally any to his cause. Though he walked in physical form, many believed him to be a god."
"And what do you believe he was?" Eron quietly asked, his face turned away from the Sage.
"Oh, I really don't know. It's just a myth that my people created long, long ago to teach children courage. I think it might have some truth in it, but I'm not sure where." She shrugged suddenly eyeing Eron's far off look. "Have you heard the legend since you are half Sheikah?" There was a long pause and Impa twitched a little uncomfortably. When Eron fell silent like this, it usually meant he did not want to talk about it anymore.
"Yes. I have heard it." He said flatly. Impa wanted to continue to probe into his thoughts but his tone of voice made her clamp her mouth shut. He no longer wanted to talk about it though it puzzled her as to why. She almost convinced herself to try asking him so but he stood up.
"I feel more rested now and the day is waning. I will return to my work." The helpful glitter shone in Eron's dark eyes again and he smiled. Since the moment was ruined, Impa nodded standing up beside him and they returned to their work together.
* * * * * *
Later that night, when all the laborers finished the work for the day and filtered back to their homes or camps, Eron and Nabooru returned to Kakariko Village with Impa and many others. It was a quiet walk home, for the day had been long and hot leaving everyone fatigued more than usual. Even the Spirit Sage, Nabooru had little strength to talk with Eron though she knew his mind was off wandering somewhere in the depths of his soul. She had noticed all day that his mind seemed to be elsewhere and she wished to ask him about it, but at the moment her mind refused to work properly.
They arrived at home with her Gerudo workers an hour after the sun had gone down that evening in summer. Since it was affirmed that Eron would be staying in Hyrule under watch, Nabooru volunteered to have him live with her and her people in Kakariko. She knew there was not much space but he needed to stay somewhere. Besides that, Nabooru could not think of another place better suited for him to stay than in her direct care. Eron, of course, obediently voiced no argument. She knew he would not disrespect or endanger any of her Sisters. In fact, in a strange way, Nabooru felt safer with him around. If any of the Hylians had a problem with a Gerudo, he would always straighten it out quickly. The girls enjoyed Eron's company as well and tried to impress him a lot but none of them (including her) were any more than just friends to Eron.
Usually, Eron and the Gerudos would eat and chat together before going to sleep to rest up for the next workday, but this time Eron passed up the chatting and sought out his bed. Nabooru sensed his troubled spirit and followed him, though she was very tired.
"Are you all right? It's been a long time since you've passed up the evening talk. And I know it's not because 'You're tired.'" Nabooru crossed her arms watching Eron's silent form.
"I am all right, just preoccupied tonight." He replied.
"That's part of the reason we talk at night after the work day." She said watching him climb up to his top bunk in the third row.
"Yes, I know. I just do not want to talk about it." He laid down closing his tattooed eyes. Nabooru clenched her jaw, her anger flaring.
"You're such a jerk." She spat then turned away back to the kitchen to spend time with her Sisters. Patience was like her strength: depleted.
Eron laid quietly, taking in her words. Yes, he was a jerk, but he cannot draw close to her or anyone for that matter. It would be too dangerous. Even though Din--the Monster-- had been rooted from his soul, the memory of her remained strong. He shuttered attempting to force himself to think of other things and slowly fall into sleep. It never was very restful, but it was sleep enough to keep going the next day. Though never was it for himself that kept him going. The people he worked for were his reason. Without them, he did not know what he would do now being able to decide.
Eron sighed, turning over to his side trying to wipe away the memories but they were ever persistent. His dreams were dark that night, dark as the days that he had come from, the days no one remembered…
