~ Disclaimer ~ I don't own Zelda. If I did, I'd hire people to write this
thing for me!
I'm back! Though, I didn't really go anywhere. Hey, I wrote a new short story! Yes, Veilius, it's a romance about Link and Zelda. Everyone else can stick to imagining Link with Malon. ^_^
Speaking of Link, he went somewhere to be alone with Crystal. Yeah, the romance of this fic. finally came into play. As of here and now.I think he and CrysSton16 are checking to make sure Merrick is okay in Shadow Knight's hands.or is it the other way around?
Anyway, I'm all alone here with all these dedications to assign. *Clears throat* First off, Farmerboy is back (You think it is mysterious? Cool!), Shadow Knight (Ok, not all little scenes make me write faster but I needed that break. Thanks for being patient), Angel1 (Who is a graduated friend of mine . . . Heh, you would have hurt me if I didn't write you down, eh? Lol), Snowsilver (There is no escape for Link! Muahahaaa!), Fire Fairy of the Prairie (Navi is "spiffy"? Uh-oh. Please don't hurt me later!), Veilius (Link is cute but if you don't like the thought of Link really liking Malon and think he should get with Zelda instead, try the other story. So long as you heard Garth Brooks, though.), Dream Walker (Sooner? Or later? To me here it's later but for you now it's sooner ^_^;;)
Ah, Veilius? THANK YOU!!! I was wondering for so long how to get rid of those stupid little mistakes and how to get (. . .) to work. I hope it worked. . . Don't be surprised if I mention you again!
WARNING: This chapter has graphics that many parents would not want young children to read, nothing adult but a whole lot of blood.
~~~~~~~
~ Finale of the Festival ~
The sun was beginning to set on the reddened horizon and again the trumpets sounded to announce dinner. Link had been searching for the Sheikah even as he talked to Crystal. Unfortunately, there was no sign to be found. Had Zelda followed him all this way or was there really a Sheik who happened to live near here? Even then, how would the Sheikah know of his quest and plight?
Crystal sighed, "I'm really not hungry, are you?" She asked Link. He shook his head as he scanned the lined up crowd. Most people were watching the fire shows the magicians were performing but still there was no sign of a blue-clad Sheikah anywhere. Link would know when he saw him even though Sheikah seemed to have a way of going unnoticed.
Lance was no where to be found. Possibly being punished for starting that fight? Link clenched his jaw at the memory. Lance was not at fault, Andrake was! Yet, Andrake went free. Link did not feel guilty about Andrake's hurt ankle. He believed Andrake deserved his injury and besides, what was he thinking going after Link like that? Link shook his head again, this time at his own thoughts.
Crystal climbed to the lip of a nearby, abandoned stage and took a seat where she could see everyone. Link climbed up beside her, not wanting to be left alone and continued searching the crowd, setting the fairy book into his lap. Crystal took the book again and opened it to where the Kokiri were playing. She looked into the eyes of the picture, wanting to see their emotions but it was a sketch, not a pictograph. Crystal couldn't se the emotion but the faces read of absolute bliss.
Link was watching her reaction to the picture and smiled also. "They seem so happy despite that they will never grow up. They will never feel what it is like to care for a child or anything like that. Link, I know you know a great deal about them. Can you tell me? Please?" Link was caught off guard by the unexpected question. And finally sighed but with a nod. How much could he tell her? He decided to start at the beginning.
Crystal settled herself, leaning back on her hands as Link stared at one of the bright torches and began his tale, "For as long as I was a child I remember living wit the Kokiri as one of them. When a Kokiri comes of age, they get their own guardian fairy and friend. They stay friends with that fairy for as long as they exist, whether they like it or not. "At this, Link thought of Mido's poor fairy and laughed. Crystal laughed along though she didn't know why and Link continued, "But, I didn't get my fairy for a very long time after everyone else got theirs. I and my friends among the Kokiri were getting worried about this until one day when I was ten years of age, one was sent to me."
"Wait, what do you mean 'sent to you'?" Crystal stared hard at him. In his eyes she could see a great tree, larger than any other she had ever seen. Link broke the eye contact, turning back to the bright flame and said, "It's the guardian tree, the Deku Tree, who watches over the forest. He sometimes has to assign fairies to Kokiri but he had a different intention for me. . ."
He told her about the monsters but never of Ganondorf. He tried to keep his story all about the Kokiri rather than his adventures. He told her of the happiness brought to the Kokiri by the fairies rather than the many pains brought to the land of Hyrule. After all, all those horrors never really happened.
Crystal sighed and looked up at the night sky. Then she laughed, "Now I wish I was a Kokiri. It must be hard to not be able to die." Link interrupted, "It's not that they can't die at all. If a true Kokiri ever leaves the forest, then they can die. The Deku Tree enforces that none of them ever do that." Crystal became thoughtful over this new information, "That means they are immortal in their forest under the Deku Tree.
"If they made a friend other than a Kokiri or a fairy or perhaps a tree, then they would have to watch that person die and live on with it. If ever a hardship fell over their village, they would live with the memories, wouldn't they?" Link nodded, memories of Ganondorf's reign came freshly to his mind. The village was over-run with monsters in the shrubbery, in the trees, even in the water! He looked down, sorrow clouding his face, unaware of Crystal's scrutiny.
Crystal said sharply but not unkindly, "Link, you aren't telling me everything, are you?" any shadows of sorrow in his eyes and face suddenly cleared away as he looked questioningly toward her, as though there was never any sorrow in him. Crystal stared into his eyes until he had to shield himself with an upraised arm, "Don't do that. It's just weird when you stare at me."
She reached to his arm and gently pulled it down from his face. Link didn't resist her gentle touch as she more gently looked, unblinking, into his eyes. And there, she learned more than she wanted to.
All the laughter and feasting of the crowd evaded her as she read Link's eyes. She could see in them fire and darkness all around. She pried into the secret places. The parts of the story he wanted to hide from her. She could see his pain and fear as he faced against Ganondorf but she saw the courage making him do it. More importantly, she saw all this happening but he was not a child. He was an adult fighting for his land. Even when the fighting was over, she followed his life to when he became a child once more.
All that he had done was forgotten to all except the sages and his fairy partner. The small blue ball of winged light that had guided and been with him all through the way. She could see and even feel his pain, frustration, and sorrow when she disappeared into the stream of light of the Light Temple.
Link suddenly cried out as though he were burned. Crystal broke the contact as link held a hand to his head and a large lump swelled into his throat. She had stirred emotions he did not want to experience again, the emotion of hopelessness. Crystal set a hand on Link's shoulder when he didn't look at her, "Link, I'm sorry but I wanted to know what you were holding back. I didn't mean to pry that deep . . ." She was at a loss for words.
Link gained control and swallowed hard saying, "It's okay. It was just startling. I've searched for so long. I'll search again all in due time. I seems I can't hide anything from you, eh?" Crystal forced a small smile as did Link. They both knew the other lied in being okay with it. Crystal gave up her smile first and said, "Link, this troubles you more than you know. Now, do you want to talk about it? If you keep it bottled up, it will only continue to consume you. Even if you do find Navi."
Hearing Navi's name spoken by Crystal was a bit startling but he looked at her once again, "I can't keep anything from you anyway. If you want to, you can look further. There is more." Crystal grew stern, a dark mask seemed to cover her usually bright blue eyes as she said, "I won't pry again, Link. Not without permission from you. If you want to, you can tell me aloud or keep it to yourself. You have to decide." Link grew angry and looked into her eyes, pressing all his life memories into her, which he would regret later on.
Crystal gasped lightly as images of people, pain, confusion, time, evil, good, and the pursuit of happiness overwhelmed her. Again they doubled back to attack at her again but this time slower, allowing her to see clearly as Link relived the same three days over and again. Meeting people and becoming friends for three days only to be intruding strangers the very next day.
Images of a small child having lost her farther and she just trying to cope on her own. A woman lost her lover, that lover lost that which is precious to him. She wasn't spared even the physical pains from when Link had to transform into different forms. An excruciating process that had to be performed countless times over in order to save those who did not even know him. It soon was a wonder how she was even still alive until finally, her eyes closed by themselves and she fell, limp onto the stage. Link looked down upon her. Her face seemed as though she had seen a nightmare . . .
He let out a shaky sigh, realizing what he had put her through and indeed did regret that. At least now perhaps she could understand him better. He groaned as he knew this knowledge would make good-byes all that much harder. He couldn't really give her his tunic for a blanket so for a while he sat, wondering what to do.
Finally he hit the wooden floor with his fist in frustration, waited for the anger to leave him, and carefully picked Crystal up into his arms. Even without the bracelet, Crystal was easy enough to carry. He jumped down from the four-foot high stage and carried Crystal to where he could find a quiet place to put her. She was going to have to recover after that mental shock. He sighed once again in shame.
The crowd parted for the most part as he carried Crystal to one of the wooden inns placed at the fairgrounds for visitors. He looked to the person in charge and the guy understood Link needed a room. Wordlessly, the keeper nodded his head to the hall leading to the rooms, a few other people checking in watching Link dutifully carry the unconscious Crystal to an empty room and set her on the bed.
He tucked her into the covers then sat at the foot of it. Crystal was not looking well. He leaned forward and tortured himself inside for doing that to her. No one could have been prepared for a shock like that. He groaned aloud then said, "Crystal, I'm sorry. I should not have done that to you. Sleep for now and I'll try to make amends when you are awake. Don't worry, I'll stay here. I won't hurt you anymore." His heart suddenly cried out for Navi but right then and there Link made an oath to himself to never harm Crystal again.
Link held tight fists, fighting the urge to take back the oath, imagining a life lived here where he could always help Crystal. Blood began to seep through his fingers as his nails cut into the skin. Outside the window, the sun sank under the horizon. Link listened for the old Wolfos cry, announcing the coming of darkness. He looked out the window when the cry was not heard.
A sudden shriek from a woman and a snarl from a Wolfos were the first signs. Link leaped off the bed and nearly pressed his nose into the window glass, wanting to see what had happened.
Cries of pain and growls, howls, and barks of delight filled the night and Link watched, stunned as flashed of gray and black fur sorted through the crowd, killing anything in their way, only to double back and kill again. For a moment, he closed his eyes and looked again, wondering if it was his imagination. No. This slaughter was really happening. Link felt his hand twitch for his sword when a splintering crash sounded in the main lobby.
Link then did unsheathe his gilded blade and his shield. The Wolfos were all having their sport outside and now were getting inside. How many there were was impossible to tell with where Link was. Link half ran to get into the fight. He had to protect Crystal!
One of the bloodied Wolfos met Link in the hallway. Link felt rage build up deeper in him as he lifted his blade high above his head. The Wolfos stopped, seeing Link's almost glowing eyes and tried to back away. Too slow. Link brought the blade down, severing the Wolfos' head and stepped over the fallen body, searching for a new victim to vent his anger on.
When there were no live Wolfos inside, Link went outside to see the bloody massacre in progress under a bright, orange sky. A Wolfos came at him in particular and growled as it loped, frothed blood at the corners of it's mouth, it let go of the severed hand it held in it's jaw, in favor of Link's flesh.
He shielded himself from the attack. In the dying light he saw the green hair of Lance as he fought back-to-back with Andrake. They were a good team but then they broke apart. Link watched as Lance ran to the aid of a woman being chased. The Wolfos turned on Lance and then thrusted one claw. Lance leaped above it and came down, long knife plunged deep into the Wolfos' back. Lance led the woman to safety before returning.
Link dealt another blow to his Wolfos and drove it back, whimpering in pain. He began to run to Lance when yet another Wolfos made itself known. It leaped onto Link's back, knocking the Hylian boy down and leaped claws forward at Lance.
Lance didn't have time to react before the deadly sharp claw was thrust forward into his chest. Link looked up from the cobblestone street to see Lance fall to his knees. His eyes were wide open, staring at nothing, as the Wolfos grinned maliciously. Link felt his rage building up even greater. Heat radiated through his entire body. Before he knew it, he was on his feet, fighting the Wolfos with all his anger. A howl sounded in the distance and all the snarls ceased. Link looked around, his wolf was dead...far dead but all the others were retreating into the shadows and past the bloody figures that were once the guards. . .
Link ran to where Lance lay but the green-haired boy, a new scar running down his shoulder and a large, deep wound in his chest, did not move even to open his eyes. Link felt that the anger inside of him would burn into a true inferno but the sorrow of seeing the destruction all around him was far too much for him to bare.
He let out a yell. It was a cry of anguish, built up anger, fear, regret, and frustration. The call echoed off the mountains, following the echo was a long, mockingly plaintive howl. Hot tears rolled unchecked down Link's face as he stared with white eyes at the horizon where the howl had sounded. He gripped is blooding sword in his hand, the Wolfos' blood on the hilt made his hand stick to it.
A hand landed firmly on Link's shoulder, keeping the Hylian from marching off. Link began to choke of his anger as tears fell from his chin onto Lance's chest. Roland kept his eyes closed and knelt beside Link, as though to try and take some of the sorrow of loss away from the boy.
With a startling thought, Link leaped up, shoving off Roland's hand. With his eyes blinded by tears, he ran across the bloody path back to the inn. He ran past the keeper, sprawled across the counter, blood pooling from his neck, a look of fright and anguish frozen on the man's face. Into Crystal's room, Link ran and only stopped when he saw her sleeping, steady breaths rising and falling. He collapsed beside the bed, falling to where his head was level with the bed. He raised himself on his knees just a bit and buried his face beside Crystal's hand. There, with no one truly there to witness, he simply cried.
~~~~~~~
I just want to make this one, small thing clear. This chapter is my pride and joy. If you didn't like it, think you'll have nightmares later on, or just don't like bloodshed, please don't blame me for your disregard of the above warning.
At last, the story will move much faster now. That attack will not go unpunished. Who is responsible? We all know but who will the people turn to? That you will have to find out.
Till next time . . .
I'm back! Though, I didn't really go anywhere. Hey, I wrote a new short story! Yes, Veilius, it's a romance about Link and Zelda. Everyone else can stick to imagining Link with Malon. ^_^
Speaking of Link, he went somewhere to be alone with Crystal. Yeah, the romance of this fic. finally came into play. As of here and now.I think he and CrysSton16 are checking to make sure Merrick is okay in Shadow Knight's hands.or is it the other way around?
Anyway, I'm all alone here with all these dedications to assign. *Clears throat* First off, Farmerboy is back (You think it is mysterious? Cool!), Shadow Knight (Ok, not all little scenes make me write faster but I needed that break. Thanks for being patient), Angel1 (Who is a graduated friend of mine . . . Heh, you would have hurt me if I didn't write you down, eh? Lol), Snowsilver (There is no escape for Link! Muahahaaa!), Fire Fairy of the Prairie (Navi is "spiffy"? Uh-oh. Please don't hurt me later!), Veilius (Link is cute but if you don't like the thought of Link really liking Malon and think he should get with Zelda instead, try the other story. So long as you heard Garth Brooks, though.), Dream Walker (Sooner? Or later? To me here it's later but for you now it's sooner ^_^;;)
Ah, Veilius? THANK YOU!!! I was wondering for so long how to get rid of those stupid little mistakes and how to get (. . .) to work. I hope it worked. . . Don't be surprised if I mention you again!
WARNING: This chapter has graphics that many parents would not want young children to read, nothing adult but a whole lot of blood.
~~~~~~~
~ Finale of the Festival ~
The sun was beginning to set on the reddened horizon and again the trumpets sounded to announce dinner. Link had been searching for the Sheikah even as he talked to Crystal. Unfortunately, there was no sign to be found. Had Zelda followed him all this way or was there really a Sheik who happened to live near here? Even then, how would the Sheikah know of his quest and plight?
Crystal sighed, "I'm really not hungry, are you?" She asked Link. He shook his head as he scanned the lined up crowd. Most people were watching the fire shows the magicians were performing but still there was no sign of a blue-clad Sheikah anywhere. Link would know when he saw him even though Sheikah seemed to have a way of going unnoticed.
Lance was no where to be found. Possibly being punished for starting that fight? Link clenched his jaw at the memory. Lance was not at fault, Andrake was! Yet, Andrake went free. Link did not feel guilty about Andrake's hurt ankle. He believed Andrake deserved his injury and besides, what was he thinking going after Link like that? Link shook his head again, this time at his own thoughts.
Crystal climbed to the lip of a nearby, abandoned stage and took a seat where she could see everyone. Link climbed up beside her, not wanting to be left alone and continued searching the crowd, setting the fairy book into his lap. Crystal took the book again and opened it to where the Kokiri were playing. She looked into the eyes of the picture, wanting to see their emotions but it was a sketch, not a pictograph. Crystal couldn't se the emotion but the faces read of absolute bliss.
Link was watching her reaction to the picture and smiled also. "They seem so happy despite that they will never grow up. They will never feel what it is like to care for a child or anything like that. Link, I know you know a great deal about them. Can you tell me? Please?" Link was caught off guard by the unexpected question. And finally sighed but with a nod. How much could he tell her? He decided to start at the beginning.
Crystal settled herself, leaning back on her hands as Link stared at one of the bright torches and began his tale, "For as long as I was a child I remember living wit the Kokiri as one of them. When a Kokiri comes of age, they get their own guardian fairy and friend. They stay friends with that fairy for as long as they exist, whether they like it or not. "At this, Link thought of Mido's poor fairy and laughed. Crystal laughed along though she didn't know why and Link continued, "But, I didn't get my fairy for a very long time after everyone else got theirs. I and my friends among the Kokiri were getting worried about this until one day when I was ten years of age, one was sent to me."
"Wait, what do you mean 'sent to you'?" Crystal stared hard at him. In his eyes she could see a great tree, larger than any other she had ever seen. Link broke the eye contact, turning back to the bright flame and said, "It's the guardian tree, the Deku Tree, who watches over the forest. He sometimes has to assign fairies to Kokiri but he had a different intention for me. . ."
He told her about the monsters but never of Ganondorf. He tried to keep his story all about the Kokiri rather than his adventures. He told her of the happiness brought to the Kokiri by the fairies rather than the many pains brought to the land of Hyrule. After all, all those horrors never really happened.
Crystal sighed and looked up at the night sky. Then she laughed, "Now I wish I was a Kokiri. It must be hard to not be able to die." Link interrupted, "It's not that they can't die at all. If a true Kokiri ever leaves the forest, then they can die. The Deku Tree enforces that none of them ever do that." Crystal became thoughtful over this new information, "That means they are immortal in their forest under the Deku Tree.
"If they made a friend other than a Kokiri or a fairy or perhaps a tree, then they would have to watch that person die and live on with it. If ever a hardship fell over their village, they would live with the memories, wouldn't they?" Link nodded, memories of Ganondorf's reign came freshly to his mind. The village was over-run with monsters in the shrubbery, in the trees, even in the water! He looked down, sorrow clouding his face, unaware of Crystal's scrutiny.
Crystal said sharply but not unkindly, "Link, you aren't telling me everything, are you?" any shadows of sorrow in his eyes and face suddenly cleared away as he looked questioningly toward her, as though there was never any sorrow in him. Crystal stared into his eyes until he had to shield himself with an upraised arm, "Don't do that. It's just weird when you stare at me."
She reached to his arm and gently pulled it down from his face. Link didn't resist her gentle touch as she more gently looked, unblinking, into his eyes. And there, she learned more than she wanted to.
All the laughter and feasting of the crowd evaded her as she read Link's eyes. She could see in them fire and darkness all around. She pried into the secret places. The parts of the story he wanted to hide from her. She could see his pain and fear as he faced against Ganondorf but she saw the courage making him do it. More importantly, she saw all this happening but he was not a child. He was an adult fighting for his land. Even when the fighting was over, she followed his life to when he became a child once more.
All that he had done was forgotten to all except the sages and his fairy partner. The small blue ball of winged light that had guided and been with him all through the way. She could see and even feel his pain, frustration, and sorrow when she disappeared into the stream of light of the Light Temple.
Link suddenly cried out as though he were burned. Crystal broke the contact as link held a hand to his head and a large lump swelled into his throat. She had stirred emotions he did not want to experience again, the emotion of hopelessness. Crystal set a hand on Link's shoulder when he didn't look at her, "Link, I'm sorry but I wanted to know what you were holding back. I didn't mean to pry that deep . . ." She was at a loss for words.
Link gained control and swallowed hard saying, "It's okay. It was just startling. I've searched for so long. I'll search again all in due time. I seems I can't hide anything from you, eh?" Crystal forced a small smile as did Link. They both knew the other lied in being okay with it. Crystal gave up her smile first and said, "Link, this troubles you more than you know. Now, do you want to talk about it? If you keep it bottled up, it will only continue to consume you. Even if you do find Navi."
Hearing Navi's name spoken by Crystal was a bit startling but he looked at her once again, "I can't keep anything from you anyway. If you want to, you can look further. There is more." Crystal grew stern, a dark mask seemed to cover her usually bright blue eyes as she said, "I won't pry again, Link. Not without permission from you. If you want to, you can tell me aloud or keep it to yourself. You have to decide." Link grew angry and looked into her eyes, pressing all his life memories into her, which he would regret later on.
Crystal gasped lightly as images of people, pain, confusion, time, evil, good, and the pursuit of happiness overwhelmed her. Again they doubled back to attack at her again but this time slower, allowing her to see clearly as Link relived the same three days over and again. Meeting people and becoming friends for three days only to be intruding strangers the very next day.
Images of a small child having lost her farther and she just trying to cope on her own. A woman lost her lover, that lover lost that which is precious to him. She wasn't spared even the physical pains from when Link had to transform into different forms. An excruciating process that had to be performed countless times over in order to save those who did not even know him. It soon was a wonder how she was even still alive until finally, her eyes closed by themselves and she fell, limp onto the stage. Link looked down upon her. Her face seemed as though she had seen a nightmare . . .
He let out a shaky sigh, realizing what he had put her through and indeed did regret that. At least now perhaps she could understand him better. He groaned as he knew this knowledge would make good-byes all that much harder. He couldn't really give her his tunic for a blanket so for a while he sat, wondering what to do.
Finally he hit the wooden floor with his fist in frustration, waited for the anger to leave him, and carefully picked Crystal up into his arms. Even without the bracelet, Crystal was easy enough to carry. He jumped down from the four-foot high stage and carried Crystal to where he could find a quiet place to put her. She was going to have to recover after that mental shock. He sighed once again in shame.
The crowd parted for the most part as he carried Crystal to one of the wooden inns placed at the fairgrounds for visitors. He looked to the person in charge and the guy understood Link needed a room. Wordlessly, the keeper nodded his head to the hall leading to the rooms, a few other people checking in watching Link dutifully carry the unconscious Crystal to an empty room and set her on the bed.
He tucked her into the covers then sat at the foot of it. Crystal was not looking well. He leaned forward and tortured himself inside for doing that to her. No one could have been prepared for a shock like that. He groaned aloud then said, "Crystal, I'm sorry. I should not have done that to you. Sleep for now and I'll try to make amends when you are awake. Don't worry, I'll stay here. I won't hurt you anymore." His heart suddenly cried out for Navi but right then and there Link made an oath to himself to never harm Crystal again.
Link held tight fists, fighting the urge to take back the oath, imagining a life lived here where he could always help Crystal. Blood began to seep through his fingers as his nails cut into the skin. Outside the window, the sun sank under the horizon. Link listened for the old Wolfos cry, announcing the coming of darkness. He looked out the window when the cry was not heard.
A sudden shriek from a woman and a snarl from a Wolfos were the first signs. Link leaped off the bed and nearly pressed his nose into the window glass, wanting to see what had happened.
Cries of pain and growls, howls, and barks of delight filled the night and Link watched, stunned as flashed of gray and black fur sorted through the crowd, killing anything in their way, only to double back and kill again. For a moment, he closed his eyes and looked again, wondering if it was his imagination. No. This slaughter was really happening. Link felt his hand twitch for his sword when a splintering crash sounded in the main lobby.
Link then did unsheathe his gilded blade and his shield. The Wolfos were all having their sport outside and now were getting inside. How many there were was impossible to tell with where Link was. Link half ran to get into the fight. He had to protect Crystal!
One of the bloodied Wolfos met Link in the hallway. Link felt rage build up deeper in him as he lifted his blade high above his head. The Wolfos stopped, seeing Link's almost glowing eyes and tried to back away. Too slow. Link brought the blade down, severing the Wolfos' head and stepped over the fallen body, searching for a new victim to vent his anger on.
When there were no live Wolfos inside, Link went outside to see the bloody massacre in progress under a bright, orange sky. A Wolfos came at him in particular and growled as it loped, frothed blood at the corners of it's mouth, it let go of the severed hand it held in it's jaw, in favor of Link's flesh.
He shielded himself from the attack. In the dying light he saw the green hair of Lance as he fought back-to-back with Andrake. They were a good team but then they broke apart. Link watched as Lance ran to the aid of a woman being chased. The Wolfos turned on Lance and then thrusted one claw. Lance leaped above it and came down, long knife plunged deep into the Wolfos' back. Lance led the woman to safety before returning.
Link dealt another blow to his Wolfos and drove it back, whimpering in pain. He began to run to Lance when yet another Wolfos made itself known. It leaped onto Link's back, knocking the Hylian boy down and leaped claws forward at Lance.
Lance didn't have time to react before the deadly sharp claw was thrust forward into his chest. Link looked up from the cobblestone street to see Lance fall to his knees. His eyes were wide open, staring at nothing, as the Wolfos grinned maliciously. Link felt his rage building up even greater. Heat radiated through his entire body. Before he knew it, he was on his feet, fighting the Wolfos with all his anger. A howl sounded in the distance and all the snarls ceased. Link looked around, his wolf was dead...far dead but all the others were retreating into the shadows and past the bloody figures that were once the guards. . .
Link ran to where Lance lay but the green-haired boy, a new scar running down his shoulder and a large, deep wound in his chest, did not move even to open his eyes. Link felt that the anger inside of him would burn into a true inferno but the sorrow of seeing the destruction all around him was far too much for him to bare.
He let out a yell. It was a cry of anguish, built up anger, fear, regret, and frustration. The call echoed off the mountains, following the echo was a long, mockingly plaintive howl. Hot tears rolled unchecked down Link's face as he stared with white eyes at the horizon where the howl had sounded. He gripped is blooding sword in his hand, the Wolfos' blood on the hilt made his hand stick to it.
A hand landed firmly on Link's shoulder, keeping the Hylian from marching off. Link began to choke of his anger as tears fell from his chin onto Lance's chest. Roland kept his eyes closed and knelt beside Link, as though to try and take some of the sorrow of loss away from the boy.
With a startling thought, Link leaped up, shoving off Roland's hand. With his eyes blinded by tears, he ran across the bloody path back to the inn. He ran past the keeper, sprawled across the counter, blood pooling from his neck, a look of fright and anguish frozen on the man's face. Into Crystal's room, Link ran and only stopped when he saw her sleeping, steady breaths rising and falling. He collapsed beside the bed, falling to where his head was level with the bed. He raised himself on his knees just a bit and buried his face beside Crystal's hand. There, with no one truly there to witness, he simply cried.
~~~~~~~
I just want to make this one, small thing clear. This chapter is my pride and joy. If you didn't like it, think you'll have nightmares later on, or just don't like bloodshed, please don't blame me for your disregard of the above warning.
At last, the story will move much faster now. That attack will not go unpunished. Who is responsible? We all know but who will the people turn to? That you will have to find out.
Till next time . . .
