Generations

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Chapter 10: Breaking the Habit

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"You're what?" Zelda yelled. "What are you talking about, you're not going back?"
"Just what I said. Why should I?" Zelda's mouth opened and closed randomly as her brother pressed on. "I've been thinking about it. I'm supposed to be fighting for Hyrule, right? The world's getting dangerous... I'm going to need all the help I can get. What have I got if I go back to how I was? Hell, I couldn't defend myself like that. You saw me get sliced up by - you know - Dark Link. If I'd have had this power then... this was given me by a god, Zelda! And you say I'm not supposed to use it?
"It's controlling you, Link! You're going power mad!"
"Maybe I am. Or maybe I'm just being practical." He nodded. "I'll see you tonight. Far as anyone's concerned, Link Hunter's sick." He gave her a half-nod and leapt through the window, landing lightly on his feet outside.

Zelda shook her head. What's wrong with you? You've changed, even if you can't see it... my brother would never have done that... You don't even seem to know who you are any more...
She sat back down on the bed and rested her head in her hands for a moment. Don't let this happen to you...

-

A figure moved quickly and quietly through Kakariko's back alleyways. He knew the way, now. No-one would trouble him back here. And if they did...
Link pulled out his sword, ready, and flicked it around hand-to-hand. He wasn't planning on hurting them. Just - giving them a little scare. Human opponents weren't his concern.
The hunter was on the lookout for bigger prey.

Eventually, he made his way through to the ruined district. A crane was visible down one of the clearer side streets, just starting to begin the clean-up of the wreckage. They wouldn't be able to see him from there, though, Link thought.

Despite that, he still felt like he was being watched. He looked around. No-one was visible. Which, in his mind, left one option.

Who are you? Link thought. Come on. Just tell me. I know you're hearing this.

You know already, the answer came, eventually. Link reeled slightly at the feel of another mind touching his own, but this time, he knew what to expect. Oni'kara.

And that means what, exactly?

Do you really want to know?

Yes.

When the reply came, it was deceptively quietly. Soft tones, but soft like the sound of a sword being unsheathed. Low, like the thunder in the storm. I am the Fierce Deity. I hold the power of time itself. I am the eternal warrior - I could fight any evil the worlds I guard throw my way. But for that, I pay the ultimate price - that I must fight those battles when their time draws near. I use the forces of darkness and chaos, but I serve only the light. I belong to no world, yet I live in all, their creator once and their protector forever. No longer do I call myself the hero, yet neither am I the villain. I just am...

Fancy talking. And you come round to screw with my life? Why?

The bike skidded to a halt in front of him, throwing up clouds of dust. Its rider pushed his helmet up out of his eyes. "It's a shame it had to come to this," he remarked.
"Come to what?" Link asked in reply.
"This." Oni'kara leapt off the motorcycle and walked across. "I'd hoped our first real meeting would have been in better circumstances."
Link lifted a wry eyebrow. "What do you mean? We've met before. As I remember it, this was a little present of yours," he remarked, waving a hand towards his face.
"This is different. You know who I am now," Oni remarked.
"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Link responded, cockily, smiling thinly. "To someone who's using your power?"
"No. A request." He paused. "Link, go back to how you were."
Link snorted. "Yeah, right. I had a feeling it was going to come to that at some point. Why?"
"You are one of the Heroes of Hyrule," Oni started, approaching. "But there is nothing heroic in hanging onto power for its own sake." He sighed. "Listen to me, Link. You can stop this. You have to stop it."
"And why do I have to 'stop it?' You told me yourself. I'm a warrior. A Hero." Link walked up to Oni'kara, arms folded. "And as I am, I've got the advantage here. Whoever my enemy is - I can stop them like this."
"You don't even know who your enemy is!" Neither of us do...
"I intend to find out." Link drew his sword. The motion had become so natural it was hard for him to imagine not having it there.
"How is that going to solve anything?" Oni asked, flatly. "Who are you going to attack?"
"Anyone who stands in my way." The voice was Link's - but the tone was far from it. Oni'kara recognised it as one he'd used when he'd let anger cloud his judgement - the powers he was using were affecting Link's mood. Hostility radiated from the young hero's mind.
Stop this! Oni yelled telepathically.
Link paused for a second. I've already given you my answer.
Then you leave me no choice.

His eyes flaring into their natural state, Oni'kara pulled the Sword of Eternity into existence, and stepped forwards ready to fight. So be it.

Link lashed out first with a shout. Oni almost found himself off guard, but easily blocked his young counterpart's blade. He lunged forwards, his own attacks almost scattering sparks where they smashed into Link's armour. Link staggered backwards for a moment, but quickly recovered his momentum and dodged behind Oni'kara's back. He lashed out forwards, but his opponent wasn't there to be attacked.
There was a brief gust of wind to his side. Thank you, Farore... Oni thought, and attacked again. Link was caught off guard. With a swift kick from Oni, he was brought to his knees.

He glanced down to see the point of Oni's sword barely a millimetre from his neck. "It's not the power you hold, Link. It's how you use it."
"No!" Link gasped. "I'm still not going to... ah!" he yelled. Oni stepped back in shock.

White and black energy seemed to flicker over Link's body. For a second, underneath it, Oni could see the form of a normal teenaged boy. The moment passed quickly, however, and it was an armoured warrior of his own standard who knelt there. What does that mean?

Quickly, he worked it out. "Link!" he snapped out, grabbing his shoulders. "Your body can't take that power! Stop trying to hang onto it!"
"What do you mean? I coped alright so far..."
"Listen to me! You were never meant to be in that form so long! You've been using that power for three days - it was never intended for any more than a brief battle!" Not for a mortal, anyway... "You're getting overloaded!"

Link took a deep breath, slowly recovering from the earlier shock to his senses. "What are you saying?" he asked.
"It's dangerous for you to keep on going. This isn't me trying to give you orders. This is what your own body is saying."
"Thank you, but I think I know what my body's telling me..."

Oni sighed. "I don't have a choice, then." I'm sorry. With a swift movement, he put a hand to Link's face. Link yelled out in shock at first, but that was soon overtaken by the pain flooding his system as his body returned to its natural state.
He passed out briefly.

-

Slowly, Link came round. Immediately, he knew things were wrong. His body felt dull and heavy, empty of the energy that had run through his veins. As he opened his eyes, the world around him looked just as lifeless.

One thought ran in his mind.

I've blown it.

He sat up slowly, holding a hand to his head and coughing. Looking around, he caught sight of Oni crouching by his side - and a mask lying discarded on the ground. So much for that idea...

"Are you alright?" Oni'kara asked quietly.
Link glared back. "Do I look alright to you?"
"I'd guess that's a rhetorical question. You look fine."
"Funny. Because, you know, I don't feel it..." Link spat back.

Oni sighed. "I guessed not."
"Well. Are you happy now?" Link snapped in reply. "Everything's back to normal... all just fine and dandy. Just how you wanted it." Although the power had gone, its effects lingered in Link's veins like a drug. An uncontrolled anger was only part of it.
"It was for your own sake," Oni said softly.
Link paused before he next spoke. "Maybe it was..." he said. "But it still didn't give you the right to mess with my life!"
"I was just trying to help you..."

"I don't need your help! Did you ever go and say 'hi' to any of the other Heroes? Or did you just screw with their heads, too? God of destiny, was it? But you just leave us poor mortals to do your dirty work!" Link yelled, angrily. "Why stop now? Why chase me down? Was it because I wasn't quite falling into line with your plan?"
"Doing my 'dirty work'? Oni replied in shock. He took a deep breath. "Do you even know who I was? I was the first of the Heroes. I know what you're going through."
Link paused. "You were the... huh?" he started. "You mean, you were just human once?" Oni'kara nodded, trying to bridge a gap. Link wasn't in the mood to listen, however. "Then why did you leave the rest of the... my ancestors, or whatever... get themselves nearly killed?"

The question stung. "It wasn't my place to interfere in their destiny," Oni replied quietly. "Only to see that it played out."
"What a load of crap!" Link fumed. "And if destiny had said they died? What would you have done then?" Oni'kara had no reply. Link began to walk away, but was held up by a yell.

"Wait!"
Link stopped and turned around. "Yeah? What?"

"You're right," Oni said, in soft and tired tones. "I didn't do anything. And it hurt every time. Every time I've been forced to let history play out alone, when I could have helped. Every life lost because of my inaction... or even my actions." He paused for a second. "How long do you think it would take to sink a continent? I'll tell you. One month. Millions upon millions died - the records of an entire civilization were lost. And it was my fault. My own actions had forced history onto that path. After that point, I could only let it play out. How do you think that felt? Watching my home die? Just watching?" By the end of his speech, his voice raised again, but not for long.
Link stared in disbelief. "Whoa... What do you mean - 'you couldn't interfere'? You're a god! You can do anything!"

Oni sighed, cupping his hands to his face. "It's not like that. I exist to protect the course of history. I'm not immune to fate. Neither are my sisters, or this world's other guardians. We created this world, even before my current life started. Yet we are still bound by its rules.
"You say I never did anything for the other Heroes? No. I didn't. I couldn't. Our fates never crossed. And every Link in the chain, who fought his battles alone - I could only stand back, or risk making things worse. It was like... like abandoning a brother."

He stopped, and walked up to Link. "But I can help you. Just listen to me. I won't let you cope alone."
Link turned his back and folded his arms. "Don't bother. Just - let me go. If they didn't need your help, and you got through on your own - I don't think I do, either." Not listening to Oni's yells, he walked away.

-

That night, he slept easily for the first time in three days. Not having to put up with the bulk of armour around him, or a bed two feet too small, Link was able to relax. Although it was still the ceiling of Alex Bowman's room he saw above him when he opened his eyes, he had finally heard from his mother - she was safe, Zelda had informed him, and just as concerned about him. They would be meeting again the next day. Still no word from his father, but Link was almost used to that. Probably hadn't even noticed the shockwave from up there, he thought.
A smile on his face, he drifted off.

The ruined temple stretches around him. This was the last place he wanted to be. And even worse, he's not alone here.

"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" he yells, gesturing wildly. "You're not even letting me have time to myself when I'm asleep! Just... let me go! How many times do I have to say I'm not interested?"
Oni sighs. "Fine," he says quietly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me teach you for just a month. Say - I'll meet you after school, every day, just for an hour or so. In that time, I'll give you a hero's combat training. I'll teach you the legends that surround us, too. If after that time, you still can't put up with me - I'll let you go freely. I'll never contact you again unless you call out to me. You have my word."

Link pauses for a moment. He doesn't know whether he likes the sound of this proposal or not. But it seems he has little choice. Eventually, he gives a wry smile. "I can't make it on Mondays," he remarks, and slowly holds out his hand. "Fine. One month. And then..."
Oni grasps Link's extended hand and gives it a shake. "And then, we see what happens."

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A/N: Eep. I've started using Linkin Park titles again. Well, the song is kinda on the fic's soundtrack.

Okay, brief intermission over with. Chapter 10 is over, and for the first time in the series there's no sign of an epilogue yet. (No groaning at the back.) This is on course to beat its prequel easily! Assuming I can get my butt off WW / MQ long enough to write... and onto the computer when that time comes.

At this point, I think you all deserve a well-earned thanks for putting up with me... There's a personal message for anyone who's reviewed, over in the reviews section.