WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE
By Katt006
Katt006@hotmail.com
September 23rd: Tis
moi again. I just thought you may like to know that we find Trunks again in
this chapter, however all is not as it seems… But I'm not going to say any more
you'll just have to read it ;P
Katt006
(Saga #2 Keeping the faith.)
*Dedicated to my friend Samoan Gard
(Ok
I'm gonna stop writing her name now, I think we all get the point J )
CHAPTER 12:
Slowly and hesitantly Link stepped over the
decayed body, followed by Zelda, Malon and finally Impa who got to see it for
the first time.
"This?" She stared at the body.
"THIS is what worried you? Link I'm disappointed, what sort of warrior
can't hack seeing the site of an old pile of bones? I mean, we have come across
many before…"
Link was silent and stared down at the
ground.
"Everybody has their fears." Malon
said kindly. "I have seen many horrible sites in my life and It still all
gives me the creeps too."
All of a sudden, Link perked up again. The
eerie look in his eyes now gone as he scratched the back of his head in
embarrassment. "Heh, yeah I guess it was pretty dumb huh?" he grinned
and turned away. "Anyway, I feel a draft, we should be near the exit. Lets
keep moving."
Impa opened her mouth to say something but
quickly decided against it, giving a nod in satisfaction.
But the oddness of his previous behaviour
expressed only moments ago still caused the young royal to wonder, sensing
something strange as soon as she left her home kingdom. She wrote a mental note
to herself to keep an eye on Link from now on.
* * *
"I thought you said you had felt a draft
and that we were close to the exit." Impa whined after another half-hour
of walking through the narrow tunnel. Only a while ago the tunnel had escalated
on a thirty-degree angle so they were now moving up a steep slope.
"I can see some light up ahead."
Navi chirped as she flew a small way ahead. "Looks like it opens up at the
top of this hill. But to where, I'm not sure."
Just as Navi has informed, they reached the
cusp of the tunnel to see a patch of light in the distance accompanied by a
cool welcoming breeze. "LOOK, LOOK!" Impa cried as she pointed
excitedly at the obvious.
Navi flew ahead once more and darted swiftly
into the light and the mystery beyond… The others trudged out hurriedly as an
overall-desperate Impa, who just wanted to rid herself of the darkly cramped
tunnel, pushed them out into the bright sunlight. Several silent moments
followed as the group suffered from severe sunblindness before their visions
cleared to view the faultless landscape that stretched miles before them. A
great valley of blue iced-capped peaks surrounded the vast green field of grass
that carpeted from their feet into infinity. Waterfalls fell from the icy peaks
in frosty streams. The whole land seemed life it was hollowed from an enormous
crater.
"This valley is enormous… and full of
such beauty. Father had tried to tell me of this place when he visited it many
years ago in my childhood but had said it 'needed to be seen to capture it's
true marvel.' Only now I understand what he meant." Zelda smiled in awe.
Impa showed a small amount of interest in the
landscape as she took it in with a low whistle before planting fists on hips
and turning to Link. "So… Where to now?"
The young man shrugged.
The older woman raised an eyebrow in query.
"Please don't tell me that you don't know."
"Fine then, I won't"
"Bah! I thought this would be the case.
Some team we are. Off to save the world as soon as we figure out where we have
to be, who we have to fight…" She trailed off as she wandered away and
flopped on her back on the grass. Basking in the fresh air and sunlight.
Zelda sighed as she watched the woman begin
to nod off. "Such a skilled warrior, yet she can act so childish
sometimes." The royal smiled and looked up at Link. "I have a very
strong feeling that our next clue will find us instead. Saria would never lead
us astray."
As if on cue, Link's hat was taken from his
head in a huge beat of feathers. They all looked up to see a large brown owl
lifting into altitude with Link's hat gripped in its talons. "Hey! You
give that back!" Link jumped up and down waving his fists in anger.
The owl perched beside a shadowy figure
sitting on the ledge of a cliff some 20ft above them and dropped the hat into
the figure's awaiting hands. Link ran to the foot of the cliff glared up with
narrowed eyes at the thief. The female figure patted the owl affectionately on
the head for a job well done. Then, with the hat, leapt from the edge to land
only a small distance from the Hylian.
Link blinked in surprise at the strange yet
beautifully exotic woman. She looked to be around Impa's age or could be
slightly younger. About in her late 20s. She had a well-developed and busty
figure clad in a strange deep crimson and mauve skirt and top of the same
colour. She wore shin-high boots and suspended from her waist were twin dagger
slings that draped two large daggers on the outside of her thighs. Her hair was
pulled up in a pony tail and consisted of hot pink curls that bounced when she
walked. But what seemed to catch everyone's eye was what was on her back.
Sprouting from just below her shoulder blades was a tiny set of light-pink,
almost white wings. Almost angel-like… (Author's note: If you would like a
picture of her I have drawn one for the FANART section of my site and it should
be posted up within a week. See bottom of fic for address.)
The woman gave the young man a sweet smile
and tossed his cap back to him. "Sorry bout that hon." She apologised
in a cheery voice. "But it was my unique way of getting attention."
Impa fingered the hilt of her sword, ready
for anything, as she was taught to do.
The strange female saw the movement. "I
agree. You can never be too cautious can ya? But you don't need to worry I
bring you no harm and do not wish to pick a fight." She placed a hand on
her chest in introduction. "My name is Charie and I wish to welcome you
all into the Valley of Zerah. This whole area rests in the crater of a rather
large mountain range that shield us from all sides and is located on the edge
of Hyrule and several other neighbouring kingdoms. Nobody knows how such a
large crater formed in the mountains but it was done many thousands of years
ago and is so big that we have several evenly-spaced cities and towns situated within
this valley. It was such a lively place till recently…" Charie's face turned
sad as she continued. "The people living here have begun falling sick. This is
due to an unbalance in the life force. You see, the dwellers of this crater are
very in touch with the life force that flows across the lands. Recently the
scales have been tipped and many are suffering because of it."
"And what do you believe caused this?" Asked
a concerned princess.
Charie bit her bottom lip in contemplation.
"… we did have a rather strange electrical storm not too long ago… I guess you
could pin-point the strange imbalance to that source, but then again this is
only a hunch."
'And then there was those two men…' Charie thought silently to herself. 'But I'm not
sure they need to know that just yet…'
"So what do you propose?" Impa asked the
other woman, knowing that she obviously knew more than she had told.
Charie put back on her cheesy grin. "Why, I
plan to go with you all offcourse."
Link's mouth dropped in disbelief. "Not another
female. I'm sick of travelling with you women!"
Charie turned and shone her grin on Link. "Oh
but I have a friend of mine tagging along too!" She placed a small circular
green instrument to her lips and blew a short high-pitched tune. From high up
the cliff that she had stood on earlier, flew down the large brown owl that had
stolen Link's hat earlier.
"Why, hello Link. It's been a while." The owl
hooted to him.
Link's face brightened as he instantly
recognized the voice of his old friend that had helped him so much on his
previous journey to save Hyrule. "It has been a while yes, how have you been?"
He asked as the bird landed heavily on his outstretched arm.
As the two friends conversed, Malon turned to
Zelda. "You know, several months ago I would have been rather disturbed by a
talking owl, a strange women with wings, a boy with a monkey tail, a girl who
disappears in wind and a full-grown woman who acts like Impa. But it just seems
like a day-to-day thing now you know?"
Zelda laughed heavily. "Well you get used to
it. I think I would be royally sick and tired of a normal princess lifestyle of
courts and negotiating with noblemen." Zelda gave a small smirk. "And I must
admit, perhaps I am another one of these strange people you speak of after
all." As she said this she turned the back of her hand up and showed Malon the
blue triangle symbol that shone from it.
From her seat on a large rock beside Impa,
Charie silently eyed the shining symbol, deep in contemplation.
* * *
That night the group set up two tents around
a small yet sufficiently warm campfire. The larger of the shelters, which Impa
had hauled around on her back, was allocated to the females. Where as the
smaller one, in honour of Link's protests, was solely for him and quite
possibly the owl if it chose to sleep undercover for the night.
"So we're heading towards the town of Yurito
tomorrow?" Impa leaned closer to the fire, suddenly aware of the drop in
temperature.
Charie replied,
knowing the question was aimed at her. "Yea,Yurito is probably the most
affected town. They have had many die recently as well so it's not going to be
a holiday stop. It's strangely covered a thick dark purple mist and is
surrounded by rather strong monsters. It's this very factor that is prohibiting
people leaving the village. " Charie scanned her eyes over the group that
huddled around the fire before her. "So, a source tells me that you people are
in search of the three forces of destruction in order to completely obliterate
the rouge spirit of Ganondorf?
The others stared
at her in surprise. How did this woman know their objective when they hadn't
told her yet? And in such detail too.
She smiled at
their reaction. "I have friends in high places." Was all she said.
They sat in
silence, all eyes on the fire before them, deep in their own thoughts as they
watched the flames leap and dance in front of their eyes. Malon began picking
at dirt on her blouse, wondering how long it had been since she had last taken
a bathe. Charie too, looked at her mud-encrusted boots and sooted clothing,
then grinned over at Malon. "We look like crap, what do ya say I take us ladies
to a hot spring located not very far from here." Impa and Zelda nodded eagerly.
Glad to get a chance to rid themselves of the dust and soil they had accumulated
on their trek through the tunnel.
They stood to
leave and Impa turned to Link and pointed an accusing finger at him. "And you
young man, shall remain here! I will make sure you don't come a-peakin via Navi
and your feathered friend whom I will ask to keep a keen eye on you."
Link put a hurt
expression on his face and crossed his arms. "Pfft, as if I would." And began
mumbling under his breath.
Impa shuffled over
to her bag and rummaged through it for a new change of clothes before hearing
the words 'old' and 'sagging' in "Link's mumblings behind her. Struck angry,
she pulled out a heavy cooking implement and hurled it at the male warrior.
Link only had time to blink in shock as the frying pan smacked him square in
the face. "You take that back!" Impa yelled. "I am NOT OLD and SAGGING for your
information, I'm barley in my 30s!!!" Zelda quickly pulled Impa by her arms
towards the other girls who were ready to leave for the hot springs.
* * *
"Here, I brought your
sword." Charie said as she handed Impa her weapon. "I got Zelda to take her
boomerang and Malon has a dagger of mine. This place isn't exactly as safe as
where you come from so it pays off to carry weapons."
They walked down a
faded dirt trail in the bright moonlight. Malon hugged her torso, noticing the
fog she was breathing in the cold air. It was so much colder here than in
Hyrule. Soon they reached the foot of a cliff where the path pivoted behind a
wall of boulders. On the other side was a sheltered cavern, which consisted of
a hot spring with some rocks encircling it.
"It's so perfect
it is like somebody made it. So well sheltered from the weather and
conveniently set out." Zelda commented.
"It's also well
sheltered from peeping eyeballs." Impa narrowed her eyes towards the direction
of the camp.
"It's very safe. I
have been visiting here for years. My mother used to take me here when I was a
little girl. I often wonder how many others know of it's presence." Charie said
as she began to toss her clothes thoughtlessly onto the rocks.
Impa had her
clothes off in record time and lunged ungracefully into the murky depths. "Ahh…
That feels good. Man I need this after that hike through the god-forsaken
tunnel. I swear, when all this is over I'm finding another way back into
Hyrule."
Zelda slipped in
with grace expected from a royal and Malon looked around shyly before following
her in. Charie was in last as she took the time to throw in all their clothes
for a well-needed wash. She sat on one of the rocks half-submerged in the water
and removed the instrument she kept around her neck on a thin string.
Malon looked at it
curiously and waded to the waters edge next to Charie. Seeing her inquisitive
expression, Charie handed the instrument to the fiery-haired teen. "It's called
a Songstone. A distant cousin to the ocarina and flutes." She informed as Malon
turned in around in the palm of her hand. The tiny musical object was smaller
than her fist and was painted a dark emerald green with three small swirls carved
on the upper side. "The swirls symbolize the 'never-ending' universe." Charie
continued to elaborate. "I'll teach ya to how play kay?" With this she smiled
and made an imitation in the air of how the fingers should be placed. "Here is
the fingering… These holes play F, A and C…" Charie wiggled her fingers as she
indicated the notes, teaching Malon the basics.
Impa and Zelda
were down the other end of the spring wringing out their rinsed clothing and
draping them over the rocks to dry before laying back into the warm water, The
princess leaning against her guardian.
"Something just
doesn't feel right Impa. I can feel a presence lurking nearby… an evil, dark
presence." The royal announced in the haunted tone she used when she received a
premonition.
"Don't worry my
dear." Impa took back her serious, guardian warrior personality and sometimes
Zelda wandered if this person, and the ever-complaining childish woman before
were the same person. "We are all together and I am here to protect you. No
harm may come." Impa reassured.
But those words
did little to comfort the royal as shivers continued to quake down her spine
despite the warm water.
All of a sudden a
shrill squeal was heard around the cavern as the horrible noise bounced off the
walls numerous times. Zelda closed her eyes and blocked her ears. Impa was so
startles she practically ran on water to the edge and reached for her sword.
The warrior un-sheathed it and got into a battle stance ready for a fight,
despite being naked.
Silence. Impa's
eyes settled on a blushing farm girl quickly pulling Charie's instrument from
her lips. "Um… sorry about that…" She said as she handed the instrument back to
its owner who laughed in good humour at her friend's attempt to play a note.
* * *
When they had finished
the females re-dressed into their change of clothing, which consisted of a
comfortable and travel-worthy set of trousers and blouse. But the nip of the
mountain air caused them all to bring cloaks, which they draped over their
still damp bodies. Leaving their soaking and washed clothes to dry overnight,
they set back for the campsite.
They walked in
silence back to camp, Zelda keenly aware of the suffocating atmosphere despite
being in such a vast oven valley. However Zelda wasn't the only one to sense
this. Charie had moved considerably closer to Malon in protection of her friend
and glanced around in all directions for danger. Abruptly, she placed a hand
out to halt the group. "Can anybody hear that?" Out of the silence came a low
hissing sound.
"Wha…What is…it?"
Malon asked uneasily.
Charie placed a
hand on her shoulder in reassurance. "Don't worry. We can handle this…" Deep
down Charie wished she were as confident as she sounded. In her travels, she
had encountered these creatures before and hadn't fared too well against the
beasts.
"Whatever it is…
sounds like we're surrounded by them." Impa noted by calling on her battle
skills and she un-sheathed her sword once more. Ready for a 'real' fight this
time.
"So what are
they?" Zelda inquired, also extracting her weapon.
"They're knows as
Reiks." Charie replied.
The group gathered
into a defensive circle facing outwards and in all directions. That's when the
first creature leapt from the shadows. Malon, Impa and Zelda's eyes opened in
horror at the creature before them, momentarily stunned. The beast was
half-serpent/half-wolf. It stood some 2 meters tall and had a long thick
snake-like body that merged off into a wolf's upper-half. But instead of a set
of front paws it harboured two scythe blades some one-meter in length and
glared at them with glowing red eyes and gnashing jaws.
"…My god…" Zelda
gasped. Finding it hard to get her body moving again.
"Zelda watch it!"
Impa yelled as one of the beasts dove at her, blades extended. At the last
minute the girl snapped out of her daze and fell to one side. Narrowly missing
the lunge. Instinctively, she launched her boomerang that arched back and
sliced it in the eye. It howled and staggered backwards, the weapon obediently
returning to its master's hand and she posed ready to strike again but she
didn't need to. Impa seized the chance to attack the already hindered beast.
The woman leapt and brought her sword deep into it's chest, twisting the hilt
before pulling the blade out of the convulsing creature.
There was about
five of them now. Circling the humans like birds of prey. 'God how are we
going to get out of this one…' Charie questioned herself desperately.
The creature that
Impa had just finished off withered on the ground before coughing up black sludge
and disappearing in an eruption of black smoke.
"They aren't
real!" Impa yelled, startled.
Zelda just nodded,
she had sensed that from the start.
Charie had just
finished off the one she was duelling with and leapt over to help Malon who was
inexperienced with a dagger and who also seemed to be hesitating for some
reason.
"Why don't you
attack!?" Charie yelled above the commotion desperately.
"I…I… can't. It
sickens me to brutally murder an animal!" She cried in an equally desperate
tone. "Charie, behind you!"
Charie turned
swiftly but not swiftly enough. One of the creatures lashed out its tail and
caught her in the back, sprawling her on the ground before Malon. Everything
seemed to blur together so quickly. The monster reared up and raised it's blades.
Ready to bring them down on the figure laying between itself and Malon. But the
farm girl took notice of the vulnerable position and acting on impulse clutched
the dagger she held tighter and ducked under it's bladed arms, bringing the
blade up and through the soft skin of it's belly. With a stunned huff the beast
doubled over and, unfortunately for Malon, fell forward and brought it's blades
down with it. The razors slashed the farm girl above her right hip and hacked
deeply into her left shoulder.
The girl's shriek
was heard well above the battle as it practically echoes off the valley walls.
The monster disappeared shortly after, leaving Malon sprawled on the ground
with blood pooling at her sides. Charie instantly ran for her fallen partner
but another beast approached the heavily wounded form. It leapt and narrowly
missed Charie as she ran in front of it, distracting it from its target. She
fled several meters and dove behind a large rock, landing on something soft as
she became entangled in a mess of arms and legs. Realizing that Zelda and Impa
had taken refuge behind the object also. After a desperate scramble to
de-tangle herself from the irritated Impa, Charie peered back over the rim of
the rock and gasped at what she saw. Over Malon's pain-wrecked form loomed
three of the hideous beasts.
"Over here ya stinky
shits!" Charie threw the random insult at them in order to draw their
attention. But the animals weren't as stupid as they seemed and ignored the
yelling woman.
With a howling
victory screech the largest of the three bared its teeth and leapt hungrily for
the vulnerable female.
Malon squeezed her
eyes shut, already in too much pain to realize what was going on around her. But
instead of feeling the inevitable rows of razor-sharp teeth closing on her body,
she heard a muffled thump beside her. Slowly, she opened her eyes and painfully
turned her head to view what had caused the thudding noise. To her surprise, she
was just in time to see the creature's decapitated head disappear in a dark
mist.
Momentarily
forgetting her pain, she found the strength to look up and see the remaining
two monsters crumple into ribbons of flesh and blood before they too fogged out
of existence. As if slashed by an invisible blade… Taking every bit of effort
she could muster, she searched around for her rescuer. Her eyes settled on a
pair of boots standing to her right, craning her head up she brought her gaze to
meet a pair of cold, ice-blue eyes and held the unfriendly stare.
All of a sudden her
wounds seemed like nothing compared to the flood of emotion and confusion she experienced
when she realized who it was. But her body refused to function from blood loss
and she whispered hoarsely, "Trunks…?" Before falling into unconsciousness…
TBC…
That one was
slightly longer than normal but you all deserved it. My chapters have slowly
become shorter due to my laziness so I'll try to keep a decent length from now
on.
Be kind, sign a
review! Even if you already have! I like to hear what you thought about
individual chapters rather than my whole story in general. My thanks to those
of you who do. J
I'll be posting up
fanart from my fic too when I get around to it so feel free to visit my site: www.angelfire.com/rpg/apocalypse006/index.html