A/N: Ooo-kay… Heh heh. Who enjoyed the last chapter ^ u ^? Yes? No? Are you asking yourself: "Did Megun-chan just write a ROMANCE chapter?! O.o " Well, of course I did! Lol. And without further ado… I present Chapter 12 of The Legend of Zelda: Angel of Death!!
Scroll XII:
Reunions Never Last…
~~~
The sun rose on a much more cheerful morning than the last. Din was the first awake, and it didn't take her two seconds to notice something was missing.
"Hey…" she whispered, going over to Link and shaking his shoulders. "Link… wake up!"
"Ugh…" Link turned around and opened his eyes. "What?"
Din looked behind her. "Ralph's gone! And so's Nayru!"
"Huh…" Link sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Really?"
They looked at each other as the same thought passed through their heads.
"They wouldn't!!" Link and Din stood up.
"We don't need for the Skull Kid to worry himself," Din said.
"Yeah… don't want to spoil his innocent little mind…" Link agreed. "Where did you see them last?"
"At that log on the hill…" Din pointed up to it. To her surprise, they weren't there. "I'll look up there," she said, and hiked up. "Hey…" she said, rounding the log. "Ralph… Nay… ru…"
She looked down at them, and her face softened. Ralph and Nayru were both sound asleep in each other's arms. Ralph had taken off his cape, and it was draped over them like a blanket. Nayru had her head resting on his chest, and was snuggled up to him. There was a small smile on her face.
'Awwww…' Din smiled. 'They look so cute… Hate to ruin their fun, but…'
She walked behind the log so they were in front of her, bent down so her head was level with theirs, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and bellowed:
"GOOD MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Ralph and Nayru were up in a second, scrambling up and standing to face Din. Down at the camp, the Skull Kid had been awoken by this shout as well. Link ran back to them, and stood, scratching his head, confused.
"What…?" he said.
Nayru yawned and started down the hill. Ralph followed her, but Din grabbed the back of his shirt.
"So you did-?"
"Yes, Din," Ralph said, beginning to get irritated. "I told her…"
"Ohhhhh…" Din smiled, and threw Ralph's cape at him. "Good!"
'How can she have so much energy after… what happened…?' Ralph rubbed his temples irritably. 'She's really unbelievable, that one…'
He stopped as he came down the hill. The Skull Kid sat on a log, and was staring blankly at him.
"…"
"…" Ralph gave a weak attempt at a friendly smile.
The Skull Kid, surprisingly, returned it. "We're going back to Hyrule Castle," he said. "Thought you'd like to know."
Ralph smiled back.
~~~
Link later stood in front of the castle with everyone else behind him. He took a breath, and opened the door. Everyone inside dropped what they were doing and gaped at Link.
"L… Link!" one of the guards said. "What are you-!? Princess Zelda… she said you were… well…"
"What?" Link raised an eyebrow. 'Uh-oh…'
"… Dead…" the guard finished.
"Oh, great," Link smacked his forehead. 'Now I'll have to explain-'
"Who's that?" someone asked.
Impa came down the stairs. When she saw who it was, her face grew pale with shock. "Oh-Oh Goddesses!! LINK?!"
"Uh… yeah… I'm alive!" Link waved his hands in a "ta-da!" posture.
"But-but we thought-!!" Impa leaned back on the railing, clutching at her heart.
"Are you all right?" Nayru asked.
"Oh… oh yes… I'll be right back." Impa dashed upstairs.
"……….What's with her?" Ralph scratched his head, confused.
~~~
The other Sages reacted almost the same way Impa did when they saw Link again. Ruto and Saria gave him giant hugs and started crying.
"Darn you, Link!" Darunia joked. "We can't get rid of you that easily!!"
He gave Link a back slap that took Link's breath straight out of his lungs, and he fell forward, only to have his arms taken by Nabooru and whirled him around the room in some kind of dance. Rauru just gave all the Sages a blank stare, wondering how these could be the sane, serious people who were supposed to protect Hyrule…
"Ahem," Farore stepped down the last stair, and walked up to Link. "You're the Hero of Time, aren't you?"
"Yeah…" Link scratched his head.
Farore bowed. "It's nice to meet you," she said. "I'm Farore, the Oracle of Secrets."
Din looked taken aback. Nayru blinked.
"'Farore'?"
Farore looked at them and smiled. "Hai!" she chirped.
"L-Link…?" Zelda walked down the steps, and when she saw Link, her eyes began to water. She wiped her eyes and gave Link her brightest smile. "You're okay!!"
Link nodded.
"What happened!?" Darunia asked. "We all thought you died!! Did you try to scare us on purpose or what!?"
Link, Ralph, the Skull Kid, Din, and Nayru exchanged glances. "Nothing happened." Link said. "Sorry to worry you."
"Link?" Zelda walked up to him, and whispered in his ear. "Can I talk to you… outside? Alone?"
"Uh… sure…" Link replied, and followed Zelda into the garden.
"Ehhhhhhhhhh?!" Ruto frowned. "Where are they going!?"
She set out to follow them, stomping past Nayru and Din to do so.
"Ruto…" Impa said warningly.
Ruto turned around and frowned at them all. "Hmph!"
~~~
"Link…" Zelda sat down on a marble bench in the garden. "Don't lie to me… what happened?"
It was a beautiful day; the cherry trees were in full bloom, and cherry blossoms blew by onto the garden paths. Every now and then a little songbird would chirrup.
"Zelda…?" Link sat down next to her, and reached out to touch her shoulder, but Zelda stood up and walked a few feet away. She wouldn't look at him.
"I… I know what happened out there, Link…" she said quietly. "I know… you died…"
"Oh… Zelda…" Link stood up and went over to her. "I can-"
"No," Zelda looked away. "Don't explain. I don't know how, or why. I don't want to…"
Link reached out his hand, and stopped. Then:
"You called me back, didn't you?" he asked. "I heard you call out to me… you saved me, Zelda… thanks…"
"I… I didn't do anything…" Zelda whispered.
She turned around. Link looked surprised. Zelda's eyes were glistening, and her cheeks were wet.
'She's… she's crying…?' Link told himself. 'Awww… C'mon, Zelda… please don't do this…'
"I'm just…" Zelda sobbed. "I'm so glad you're all right…" She couldn't take it anymore. "Oh, LINK!!!" she fled into his arms and hugged him tightly.
Link looked slightly taken aback by this sudden show of emotion. 'Zelda…?'
Cherry blossoms blew by and settled on them, but neither of the Hylians took any notice. Zelda clenched Link's tunic tightly with her left hand, sobbing into his shoulder. Link held Zelda gently, stroking her honey-golden hair.
"Shhh," Link murmured, rocking back and forth gently, "It's all right. It's all right. I'm fine… I'm fine. Don't worry…"
'I…' Zelda continued to cry. 'I can't help it… I love him… I love you… Link!'
After a few minutes, the two broke apart, slightly embarrassed. Zelda went back to sit on the bench.
"Are you all right now?" Link sat next to her and put an arm around her.
"Yes… thank you," Zelda sniffed. "I'm so sorry to put you in such an awkward position…"
"… No problem…" Link rubbed her shoulder. "So… Let's go. Back into the castle. I'll bet everyone's waiting for us."
Zelda nodded. "…"
With his arm still around her, Link guided Zelda off of the bench and into the castle.
But on the garden walls, a dark, winged creature had appeared in a swarm of cherry blossoms. As each one touched her, they withered and fell to the ground as black, dead things. The birds stopped singing. Her dead black eyes watched the two go as she put a strand of night-black hair behind her ears.
"Now…" she whispered to herself. "All of you will die…"
She flapped her wings and disappeared onto the castle rooftops.
The Angel of Death had arrived.
~~~
Inside the castle, Link was surprised to see Queen Ambi was still with the Sages.
"Q… Queen Ambi?" Link asked. "You're still here?"
"Yes," Ambi smiled. "I thought with all this action going on I'd better stay here!"
"But…" Nayru said quietly, "With all this action going on, you maybe should return. If something happens to you, Ambi, even here…"
The two exchanged a look, then looked at Ralph. Ralph frowned and scratched his head, then understood.
"Maybe Nayru's right," Link agreed. "Maybe Ambi should leave… it's bound to be safer in the past…"
Ambi nodded.
"We can send you home from the Temple of Time," Nayru said.
"All right then!" Ambi clapped her hands. "Who'd like to come with me?"
Everyone grinned. It looked like things were finally going to be all right.
~~~
As Ambi, the three Oracles, Ralph, Link, and Zelda arrived at the Temple of Time, the idea of peace at last seemed to be a strong idea.
"I'll look forward to seeing you again!" Ambi waved as she and the guards disappeared in a bright column of blue light.
"'Bye, your Highness!!" Nayru smiled and waved. Ralph smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. At least that obstacle was out of the way…
But as they turned to leave, the sense of peace faded as they noticed a woman standing at the altar, her head lowered. Black, massive wings were folded neatly behind her back.
'Black wings…!!!' Link stepped forward. He and Ralph drew their swords.
"Who are you!?" Link asked, "And what are you doing in this sacred temple!?"
"I am…" the person spoke, their voice like a hollow tomb. She looked up. "The Angel of Death…"
"What!?"
"You heard me…" The Angel of Death smirked. "And you must be the one who destroyed my faithful and most powerful servant, yes?" she pointed at Link. "The one who bears the Triforce of Courage…
"But wait…!" the Angel looked around. "What is this other power I sense here? Is there another Triforce-bearer here? Ah… but of course…" she looked directly at Zelda. "the most powerful… the Sage of Time… Princess Zelda," she bowed. "Your royal Highness…"
"Stop it!" Zelda snapped. "What do you want?"
"I would like you to give me the Triforce without any problems…" the Angel sighed. "But, of course, not everyone here enjoys that idea, right? So…" she glared at them. "I'll have to take it by force!"
"You won't get Zelda!!!" Link cried, and rushed forward, sword raised. But just as he slashed, the Angel disappeared.
"No!!" Link turned around. "Where… where did she go!?"
He turned to the Oracles, Ralph, and Zelda. "Get Zelda out of here!!" he ordered. "Now!!"
They all ran. But they hadn't gotten past the Light Warp when the Angel of Death appeared behind the altar.
"You will not!!" She cried, and pointed at Zelda. "I will have the Triforce pieces… starting with you!!"
The Angel began to glow a dark purple, and so did Zelda. In a split second, the Angel had transformed into a dark light, and threw herself right at Zelda.
"LINK!!" Zelda cried, but her cry was smothered as the light flew into her open mouth.
"ZELDA!!!!!!" Link ran forward, but black lightning lashed out as soon as he got close.
He flew backwards, and got up. Zelda had fallen down onto her knees, and then onto her hands and knees, breathing heavily. The gasping soon turned into an evil, hideous laugh as Zelda stood up and looked at them all with eyes that revealed nothing but coldness and hatred.
"No… Zelda…!" Link cried.
Ooo-oooooh!!!! :D Things are heating up… Again… Nearing the end of the First Book, and I'm running out of ideas, so expect the next chapter, the epilogue, then probably a looooooooooooooooooooooooooong hiatus after that. Sorry, but my ideas don't come to me so easily, so… I'll be seeing ya!!
~M