Chapter 10:



Hope and her father returned to the throne room. She knew, now, without a doubt, that the Daemons would attack again and again until they killed Zelda, just as they had killed Amelia. She had to get them to a safe place, keep Zelda hidden away.... As long as the enemy did not know she was Shiek, then they had a chance to keep her well hidden.

"What happened out there?" Link asked as they came in. "The guards were yelling and screaming about a Daemon." Hope smiled bitterly and lifted up her sword. The new gem in the handle shimmered. "Well good," he replied, smiling. "One less to worry about."

"There are still four more," Hope told them. "Seven Daemon in total."

"Seven?" Link repeated, whistling through his teeth. "Then we're only halfway."

"Well, one we know is the Daemon of Darkness." Hope began to pace. "But the other three are still a mystery to me. And they seem to be more and more powerful."

"For some reason, the villains always send out the week ones first," her father said, smiling a little. "It's always the same."

"Who ever controls these Daemons is testing us." Zelda took off her crown and set in on the throne. "I say it is time to meet them head on."

"You know where to find them?" Hope asked. Zelda gave a little shrug. "Then how do you plan to find them?"

"Bait."

"BAIT?" Hope whirled around. "You plan to use yourself as BAIT??"

"I don't see any other choice," she replied. "One way or another they will come after me." Hope looked over at Link for some help. Her plan was insane! And she was the one with the WISDOM triforce piece!

"Zelda, my dear, it's too dangerous. I refuse to loose you like we did Amelia. I will not have your soul stolen!" Hope blinked, and turned to Link.

"Soul stolen?" she repeated. "They can steal SOULS? Why didn't anyone tell me this sooner?"

"You didn't know? That explains your lack of fear. Killing is one thing. After all, we all die, but loosing one's soul.. . . Well, that's all together different." Link just shook his head. "Hope, that's what they did to Amelia. Ripped her soul from her body. . . . Then one of them stole her body too." His fists were shaking, clenched at his sides. "You don't know how much I've wanted to destroy them. They took my baby away from me!"



"You may.... get.. Your chance..." gasped a voice. Hope turned. Standing behind them was a female Zora, a long slash going across her frail body.

"Ruto? What happened to you?" cried Zelda, running forward. "Who did this to you?"

"Daemons," she gasped, leaning on Zelda for support. "The others in Temple.. . . but are trapped...." Hope reached into her bag and pulled out the bottle of milk that Malon had given to her. She offered it to the Zora princess.

"Thank you," she replied, taking a swich of it. Her wounds began to close over, and Ruto was able to stand. She looked Hope over. "Who is this?"

"This is Hope," Link replied, "and King Larsk, from beyond the mountains." He grinned proudly. "Hope is our Daemon exterminator. She has killed three already."



Ruto looked at Hope again, a new measure of respect in her eyes. Then she saw the arrows strapped to Hope's back.

"What is she doing with the Light arrows?" she demanded, whirling back to Link. "They are the Hero of Time's responsibility. None but he should ever have them."

Zelda gave an undigified snort. "Exactly what I said, but neither of them would listen to me."

"It was the Hero's choice," Link replied indignantly. "She is a fine girl, a Hero in her own right. And she can kill the things, whereas no one else has even come close."



Annoyed, Ruto stalked up to Link, fixing her bright eyes into his. Link took a step back.

"Ruto, dear," he stammered.

"Don't you "Ruto dear" me!" she exclaimed. "I demand to know why you are shirking your responsabitlities as Hero!" There was a sudden change in the air, and Hope noticed that he door had been sealed by some kind of magic. "None will hear you now, Link, except us. So tell me."

"Because, Ruto, I'm far past my prime. . . . And it was time for my Heir to take my place."

"Your Heir?" Ruto repeated, dumbfounded. "Zelda, what is your husband babbling about?"

"Hope is our daughter," Zelda replied softly, "the one we thought died as an infant. King Larsk there, had been raising her in another world, where they had the technology to fix her heart."



Ruto stood there, too shocked to speak. Link sagged in relief, and squirmed away from the Zora princess.

"Hope, perhaps you should make yourself scarce. Go get yourself some food. This may take a while. But when we're done, we'll all go down to the Temple and help Ruto's people. Deal?" he whispered.

"All right," she sighed. "Dad, stay here," she added, turning away from Link. "Keep your eye on them."

"Will do, honey." He smiled at her.

"If a Daemon does come here, well, they will have a gem on their body somewhere. Go for the gem. It's their weak point."

"Got it."



Leaving the others behind, Hope headed to her room. She then whipped out her Fairy Ocarina and warped to the Temple. She was not about to let Zelda, Link or her father walk into whatever was going on. Besides, they were taking too much time arguing. Ruto's people were in trouble. They had to be saved.



Hope reappeared on top of the Temple of Water. She saw two Daemons swimming around the underwater enterance to the Temple. She heaved a sigh. She did not have the Zora tunic or the metal boots. How was she ever going to get down there? She leaned over the edge further, examining the two Daemons. She had never seen either of them before. One was huge, the other only human sized. She wished she could make out more details on ether of them, but she could not.



As Hope was leaning over the water, her sword came forward a bit, dipping in the water. Both Daemons suddenly stopped their swimming, each looking up at her. Hope scrambled back from the edge of the water as the two Daemons burst out of the water.

"Well, well, well," said the bigger one, "what have we here? It's the little Hylian girl causing so much bother." It's voice was sleek, smooth, chilling. "What ever should we do with her, Ignorance?" The smaller Daemon just laughed hysterically, advancing on her. Hope drew her sword. She felt strange. When she looked at either Daemon, she could not see any features besides their sizes. It was as if she forgot what they looked like even as she was looking at them.

"Quiver with FEAR!" the large one bellowed. Hope found, to her great surprise, that she WAS quivering in fear, that she could hardly hold her sword, she was so afraid. The smaller Daemon, Ignorance, continued his laughter.



Hope tried to find the the gem on either Deamon, but looking at them she saw only swirls of dark flesh, nothing more. Her heart was pounding. She wanted to run, but she was too afraid to move.

"She looks like a delicious little treat, doesn't she, Ignorance?" The laughter of both Daemons cut into her again. She shivered. Why couldn't she move? What was wrong with her? They were going to get her if she didn't do something. The great hand reached down for her. And she still couldn't move. Hope screamed. They had her! There was nothing she could do.