The Legend of Oni

By DarkBlacknoid

CHAPTER FOUR:

The Worth of A Memory

"Finally…" Nabooru muttered under her breath when she and Eron had progressed through the newly built walls of Hyrule Castle Town. She was anxious to find Princess Zelda immediately, for she had a very important request to ask of her. It involved a certain half-bred man that lived with her and her Gerudo Sisters.

Chancing a quick glance behind her, Nabooru noted Eron's fatigued and unusually darker features. His eyes looked blacker than the usual chocolate brown and his usually sandy light brown hair did not shine in the bright sunlight like normal. He looked haunted and distant and what was worse, he felt that way too. Eron's soul cried out to her in waves of feelings that she could not comprehend where they were coming from. But all the while, he said not a word, keeping the ever growing storm of pain bottled deeply inside. He used to be better at hiding even these unseen feelings that she once could not feel. But now Nabooru was the only one he could not hide it from, for she would not allow it. And also she was the Spirit Sage, it was her specialty.

Though Nabooru knew first hand that it must be hard adjusting to a new way of life and dealing with the aftermath of being made to do things against your will, but what she felt from him now was different. Something else was bothering him. Perhaps he had had a bad dream? A dream that made real the evils that he was forced to do again? If that were true, Nabooru would be sure to put him straight. But she had to be honest with herself, she did not believe that was the case.

She was truly worried for his safety and health. The reason for that was that when Eron did not show up at breakfast and Taunooru came running in a slight panic about Eron, she knew something was up. She followed Taunooru and a few other worried girls back to the barracks. She ran to the latter on Eron's bunk and climbed up. Nabooru peeked up at an alarming sight. Eron, still asleep, which never had he slept in late before, held tightly to his pillow in great anguish. Blood stained his teeth from having bitten his tongue and it dribbled out one side of his mouth. His brow and hair was soaked with sweat and his grip on the pillow was so tight, he had nearly ripped it in half. It took a good part of a half an hour to wake him and then calm him down after they finally succeeded. When Nabooru asked him what it was all about, he refused to say. Stubborn cad, she thought, must be the Gerudo in him.

Nabooru, Eron, and her Gerudo Sisters separated into their usual groups. The Gerudos helped with various jobs, like hammering, greasing, and mortaring depending on strength. Eron, insisted on doing the hardest work, which was moving, pulling, carrying the heavy bricks to the workers that were assigned to the mortaring. In the seven, short months after Eron had arrived, he had become very strong with this work. His body was now shapely and less pitiful. It started to mirror Link's except Eron was taller and a little bigger than Link. He also was sporting a nice goatee of a beard and had grown out his hair, which splayed lightly over his shoulders.

Instead of heading off to work like usual, Nabooru went straight for where she knew Link and Zelda would be. When she came closer to the half-finished, classically styled main balcony, the Spirit Sage sensed a commotion. Many of the Hylian workers noticed as well and looked up in puzzlement. What they all witnessed was something Nabooru would NEVER let Link forget.

Flying down through the workers and materials was Zelda with a tattered, little green thing in her hand and Link was at her heels trying to catch her.

"HEY! STOP! GIVE THAT BACK!" Link shouted at a gasping-from-laughter and running Zelda. Nabooru's eyes widened when she realized the raggedy thing Zelda had was Link's beloved Kokiri hat he had had since a child. She smirked. This was some juicy stuff.

Link suddenly grabbed at Zelda's fleeting form and they rolled to the ground and he made a mad swipe at the Princess's hand. She eluded the first attempt though it was difficult since she was laughing so hard. Getting the upper hand, Link snatched the hat and rolled off of Zelda. He stood up, triumphantly placing his beloved hat on his head.

"Sorry Princess, this is one thing that stands between us." He laughed while Zelda got up with a mischievous grin.

"You won this round, Hero of Time." She giggled. "But you know eventually you will have to get rid of that thing. That hat's probably older than you are!"

"What's wrong with that? I like my hat."

"Link," Zelda playfully whined. "That hat has so many holes in it, I keep having to patch the patches."

"There's only one thing I won't do for you my dear Princess," Link hugged her close. "And that's getting rid of my hat."

Nabooru laughed, her worries and fears disappearing for a brief moment watching Link and Zelda play around. A quick whim of sadness and envy passed over her, but it quickly faded when suddenly the couple noticed what a scene they had caused.

Link cleared his throat and the faintest shade of red colored his face. The Hero of Time was certainly courageous in battle, but he was embarrassed easily. He eyed Nabooru a little warily, knowing that she had witnessed the whole incident and she would probably try to use it to her advantage.

When she had finally been noticed, Nabooru remembered her task and stepped up to Zelda. Her face now turned serious.

"Zelda, could I speak with you a moment in private?" She asked and the Sage questioned with her eyes. Link suddenly became suspicious and his face frowned but he said nothing.

"Sure, Nabooru," Zelda shot Link a quick glance then followed the Gerudo to a fairly secluded portion of the work field.

"What is it?" Zelda, being a Sage, noticed something different and serious about Nabooru, who usually was light hearted.

"I have a request and I came to you specifically because this request involves Kiad'Eron and well…I know how Link reacts to him." Nabooru said, sighing a bit and Zelda urged her to go on. "I request that Eron and I have a day off and spend some time away from the Castle work." Nabooru watched Zelda's expression go from confusion to worry.

"What's happened?" She asked, concerned. Nabooru shook her head and furrowed her brow.

"I'm not for sure, Zelda, but I just know I need to try to break his 'pretender shell'. He's not all right. Not in the slightest and I must know what's going on with him. I fear whatever he's hiding inside himself will destroy him."

Zelda pondered this for a few moments. She had noticed that Nabooru and the Gerudos were late this morning and her mind had wondered about the cause. She had been worried about Eron as well, but nothing more than usual. She knew he hid himself--deep and secure--so that none could touch upon his heart's darkest thoughts. Sometimes she thought he had a power none of them really knew about.

"You have my permission on one condition," the Princess finally said and Nabooru looked at her, curiously. "I want to know what is said and if I can, I will help you with him."

The Sage nodded then looked a bit sheepish. "There's one other thing I'd like to ask of you…please don't tell Link. If he finds out that Eron is hiding something from us, he would probably lock him up again and I don't think that's what Eron needs." Zelda nodded in understanding.

"I'll try my best to keep Link out of this, but I won't lie to him. If he asks, I will tell him. If not, I won't mention it."

With that Nabooru thanked Zelda and they parted. Before fetching Eron, Nabooru thought it best to prepare some food and horses. She figured the best place to talk privately with Eron was the place that almost no one else went to. It would be refreshing to go back for she herself had not visited it in some time.

The Gerudo woman strolled to a vender in town, which happened to be Ingo, Talon, and Malon. They were taking an active roll in feeding and aiding those that worked on the Castle. Talon and Malon were eager to help Nabooru, for since the Battle, she had made an extra effort to become friends with the Ranchers. She even attempted being friendly with Ingo, whom, she noticed, even TRIED to be nice back to her. It did not always work, but she commended him for even trying. If he got nasty, she would just ignore him.

"I wish you luck on your trip, Nabooru. Please tell Eron 'hello' for me," Malon said handing over the reigns of two of the finest horses Lon Lon Ranch could offer.

"I will and thank you so much. I owe you," Nabooru smiled and walked with the two, loaded horses, Tristni and Iopu. She tied them to a fence, then went looking for Eron. He never stayed in one place at a time when working, so this took some time. Finally, Nabooru found him lifting one great curved stone that was going to be part of an archway. She never did understand how he could lift such heavy things. He had always been able to do so even when he used to be such a puny little thing when she first met him.

Nabooru waited for him to finish carrying it over to the mortars and designers before approaching him. He looked a bit surprised to see her, but he only gave her a smile--a weak one at that. She smiled back at him, only to disarm him. She did not want him backing out of this.

"Hey, Eron, come with me. There's something I need you to do for me." She said and took his arm gently. She noted the befuddled look on his face but kept walking. They stopped only briefly along the way so that Eron could get a drink.

Almost all the way through town, Eron slowed, his curiosity getting the better of him. "What's going on, Nabooru? Where are you taking me?"

"You've been given the day off Eron and I've been given the responsibility that you really DO take the day off." She fibbed just a bit. All this was really her doing, but she wanted Eron to feel like this was something he HAD been ordered to do. She was taking advantage of his guilty conscience.

Eron stopped walking and looked at Nabooru sternly. "You must have talked to Princess Zelda." Nabooru was not sure how he could have guessed that, but she saved face.

"Eron…come with me." Nabooru set her foot firmly, giving Eron a glare letting him know she was NOT going to take no as an answer. When she saw him about to protest, she tried a different tactic and gave him one big fat lip, with pouty eyes, blinking pitifully. She new Eron had a heart, a very deep, understanding, passionate heart, how could he refuse this? And if he did, it would not matter. One way or another he was going with her, even if she had to knock him out and drag him the whole way there.

But it appeared to be working, for Eron looked in her eyes long and hard before taking a step forward. Nabooru smiled lightly at him, but she noticed he did not return it. She almost thought she could feel a little fear coming from him, but from what she knew not.

* * * * * *

After a while Eron figured out where Nabooru was taking him. They left Castle Town and headed west across the Field until it started to look rockier and more barren. They spent a short time at Gerudo Fortress, though the Sisters that were left there to look after things begged Nabooru to stay longer. It had been some time since she had come to visit them and they were quite curious about Eron. To his surprise, the tall, Gerudo guard that he met when crossing the bridge at Gerudo Valley when he traveled to Hyrule, welcomed him warmly.

But soon this moment passed and he and Nabooru headed out in the Haunted Wastelands. The sands were unusually calm and their trip was unhindered and passed quickly. The large monument of the Colossus stood on the edge of the desert and man and woman stayed quiet for most of the trip until they came upon the Temple.

The sun dipped lower below the horizon upon their arrival and after putting away their horses, Eron and Nabooru ate dinner just inside the Temple's entrance where they had first met. They chatted nonchalantly while they ate, but when they were finished Eron cleared his throat and looked intently at Nabooru.

"I appreciate what you're doing, Nabooru…but I'm not sure yet why you went to all this trouble just to give me some time off. I did not need it--"

"Eron, I don't want to hear that. You can't hide this from me any longer." Nabooru glared at a confused Eron, jumping right into the problem she wanted to address. "What is wrong with you? I'm worried…" Her expression softened but Eron's hardened.

"There's nothing to worry about."

"Are you lying to me?" She growled.

"No, that is the truth. There is nothing endangering you or Hyrule so there's nothing to worry about." He said, emotionlessly.

"And what about you?" Eron fell silent with this question, looking at the floor. Nabooru sighed in disappointment. "That's what I thought. Eron, you've lived with us--with me for quite some time, why won't you tell me what's troubling your soul? I can feel it everyday and the pain I sense grows even more unbearable everyday."

The dark man sat in the firelight of the Temple, refusing to say a word. She was right about him, but there were things he knew should be left in the past.

Feeling a bit defeated, Nabooru lowered her head, feeling angry, sad and frustrated with Eron's unwillingness. Then she had an idea and looked into the half-breed's face. "All right…how about this?" She put her hands together, like she was trying to think if this would work. "How about we do a little trade off? I ask you a question and you have to answer truthfully--"

"I cannot lie," he said and Nabooru nodded in acknowledgement.

"And when you're done answering, you can ask me a question. It can be anything you want and I will answer truthfully and to the best of my ability." Nabooru stared at Eron until he made an answer. He shook his head and sighed. Why was he being so stubborn? He was such a Gerudo…

"All right, all right…it's a deal." He said, looking regretful. "But I will ask you my question first. I want you to think very hard about what you want to ask me." Nabooru nodded, realizing he was not going to give much so she needed to be tricky about what she was going to ask.

"Okay then, what's your question for me?" If he wanted to play it that way, she will much oblige him. Eron was silent for a moment, thinking of his question for Nabooru, then he looked at her.

"I want to know why you have that scar on your back." He stated simply, eyeing the Gerudo woman, whom blinked in a bit of surprise. The scar he referred to was the one she got from Link almost two years ago and she always tried to hide it as best as she could from all eyes. It flustered her a bit to realize she had not done a good job of it.

Link could have done more damage, but something had stayed his hand for reasons Nabooru did not know. Nabooru had gotten that scar when Koume and Kotake bewitched her, forcing her to be Ganondorf's 'loyal minion' as they liked to put it. The scar had been from the last swipe of the Master Sword as the Iron Knuckle's armor broke away from her battered body and mind, foiling the spell. That was a time of her life, those missing seven years, she did not like to go back to.

"Uhhh…" she started while Eron stared at her. "I got it from Link." Nabooru fidgeted watching Eron's stare intensify.

"That's the who…I asked for the why."

Nabooru mentally berated herself. She would not let Eron get away with an answer like that, why did she think he would let her get away with one? "Long time ago, nearly…nine years ago, when I first met Link, I was captured by Ganondorf's witches. They brainwashed me into working for Ganondorf…" A flash of an image lightened her fragile memory of that time in her mind's eye. It was a memory Nabooru tried very hard to forget. It was a memory she could never quite understand for her mind would not allow it. A picture of Ganondorf breathing heavily above her and the feeling of panic was written in her body, but that was it. Memory would not allow her to open those hidden doors deep inside her.

Eron noticed Nabooru's hesitation and his gaze softened almost as if he knew her trouble. His hand rested on hers in support and Nabooru shivered at his touch. She was not sure if she just was not expecting it or if it was that his hand felt cold, like it always did.

"And?" He asked quietly.

"And I know I did some terrible things for him," Nabooru blurted not looking at him. "I don't know what they were exactly, I just know I did. After seven years, Link came back from the Sacred Realm and fought me because those witches forced me to be their soldier, an Iron Knuckle. Iron Knuckle armor is thick, but Link easily defeated me with the Master Sword. I probably would have killed him though if it weren't for that spell he got from the Great Fairies."

"Nayru's Love…" Eron whispered.

"Yes…" Nabooru nodded. A moment of silence followed, only their breathing could be heard. Eron then patted her hand lightly, then removed his cold touch.

"I understand, Nabooru." His dark brown eyes were reflecting the firelight and Nabooru could not help but remember when they truly were aflame with Din's evil. She shuddered uncontrollably, rubbing her arms. "I'm glad you told me this," he said to her looking into the fire.

"I guess I didn't realize before how much you and I are alike." She said and this warranted a strange look from Eron. She could not tell what the look was. It almost looked like…fear or sadness?

"Yes…perhaps a little…" he admitted quietly, his stoic face returning.

Nabooru took that as a hint, but knew this time Eron could not run from her. He had agreed to answer a question of hers and Eron was a man of his word.

"Okay…are you ready for my question?" Her tone bore a note of command more than a question. Eron nodded and she drew a breath. "Tell me please…what was your nightmare about?"

Eron stiffened as if he feared this question all along. He stared into the fire, a mixture of emotions floating subtly across his eyes. Up until now, he had refused to explain anything about his strange behavior, but Nabooru held him trapped to his word. He had to answer.

"I dreamed of things that long ago had taken place…"

"Like what? Elaborate please." Nabooru tried to be stern but supportive. She did not want to trigger Eron's stubborn, secretive nature.

"Things that…Din had done." Slowly, Eron turned his head back to look at Nabooru's beautiful sun-laden eyes as if he was searching for something. They were peaceful, wise, and strong. He admired her greatly. "I know many things about Din…too many things."

Nabooru leaned forward, quite interested now, but her senses warned her of Eron's pain flaring again, though his face showed nothing. She sighed inwardly. "I wonder why she would do all those things…she's a Goddess, she shouldn't be that way…"

"Din is a goddess, but she is still a created being, just like Nayru. Farore is the One Goddess and she made Din and Nayru, her sisters." Eron stated, as if what he just said was general knowledge, but it was most certainly a surprise to Nabooru.

"She is? I didn't know that…I thought they were all completely equal."

"They are…but Farore created them. Farore is a Creator…everything that is, is her thoughts, emotions, and doings."

"How do you know all this?" Nabooru asked, her eyes confused with this new knowledge. "I'm a sage but I know nothing of this." The dark man next to her hung his head stiffly, closing his branded eyes.

"I know, because she told me." His tone dipped and when he opened his eyes, Nabooru beheld anger, which caused her to feel uneasy. "Din had nothing better to do than tell me things and…" He stopped, not wanting to finish his thoughts in words and he tried to banish his anger. "There were many times she would tell me her story, so that I'd feel sympathy for her and understanding about why she was doing the things she did."

"What could possibly make a Goddess do such things?"

"You really want to know?" Eron asked shortly and Nabooru nodded eyes wide with curiosity and her chance to listen to a piece of Eron's puzzle. She was letting him speak his mind, because he rarely ever did. Also the waves of grief had lessened a bit.

Eron understood not why she wished to know Din's story. She knew most of what Din stood for anyway, why would it matter if she knew how it all came to pass? But he knew if he did not tell her, she would only ask more questions about him, and Din he could talk about safely without complicating things.

"Din's story…her story…from the beginning…through her eyes…" he whispered, almost talking to himself, forcing himself to remember things he was not fond of. Days of his life and her life, he spurned utterly, never wishing to revisit them…but it was all he had ever known…all he will ever know…

He braced himself, going far back into his memory, deep into his sadness, and close to the knowledge he bore with a great pain, to retell the events of a life that was not his…