~ Disclaimer ~ Own Zelda, I do not. Wish I did, you can bet. =^-^=
*Whistles* Seems this story has gone pretty much out the window after leaving it for so long, eh? Oh well. We've come far too far to simply give up now. So, one more for good old times.
Luna Yami: *Now wielding a bo staff rather than the mallet* I'll keep a look out for typo demons this time around. No worries about that at least!
Kohachan: *Appears and looks none-too-happily at Shadow Girl* You! You stuck me out in the cold!
o_o; There was good reason! Aiiyyy!!!! *Tries to run but is caught by the Sheikah then thrown out the window*
Tarawen: *Swipes Kohachan upside the head* You didn't have to toss out the authoress!
Kohachan: Yes, well, I wanted to do that anyway. *Ducks another swipe* Ahem . . . onto the dedications!
Shadow Knight: *Eyes one of the reviewers* Hmm.... A guy who used to review here. Be ye Dragonkiller?
Kohachan: That's what I think as well. Heh. Thanks for the compliment, me thinks. And thanks for the review.
Luna Yami: And this chapter also is for Erinamation-limited2-nothing. ^_^
Kohachan: This story also goes out to Jelie36. Welcome back, Jelie *Bows respectfully* Katie is out of the picture for now. Her role is mostly done. But she has one more part in the end, that she does. Neh? When was it revealed that Toloran was the Warrior of Light? (So to speak . . .) And it is also for Angle1. Tomas was out in mid-day? Interesting . . . At any rate, thank you for the compliments and the warm welcome. You can be sure that Cait, Andrake, and Matt will be there in time for the big fight.
Tarawen: *winces only lightly at the mentioning of a vampire* Nonetheless, there are still more. This is also dedicated to Shadow Knight. You can bet that the battle royal is coming, but still another chapter between now and then. Call it the warm-up fight.
Shadow Knight: Hehe ^-^; Building action! Big chapters! But last and not least, this chapter goes out to MonoChronos. The great battle of light vs. dark indeed is coming! And the supplies might be running dry but they are almost there. So close! x.x;
Kohachan: Oro? A new reviewer? Most interesting. Must have taken some time for you to have caught up with us, Mithrandir. Welcome and thank you for the review and the offer. Yet this story is also dedicated to Luna Yami. That being said and done, let's move on to the chapter. Hmm . . . This chapter seems to start as a continuation of the last chapter . . .
(Outside) *Taking notes on a pad of paper* Write super-long chapter . . . check. Be evil to someone or other . . . Double-check. *Evil grin* Well, get comfy cause this is the longest chapter yet Ladies and gents . . .
~~~~~~~
~ Sneak Attacks ~
Kaepora fluffed his feathers once more then shook himself, shedding only a single feather in the process. The feather drifted over toward the fluff ball on the futon. Two fox ears followed by a small head picked up from the bushy tail. The old owl watched closely as the tiny fox stood up from the cushion and shook off the feather before jumping down from the upper level and landing square on Zolaris' head.
From his head, she jumped down again to land on the center of the table, then looked around. {Where did Kohachan go?} She stretched out as Zolaris fixed his hair before answering, "He got scared off by Toloran and jumped out the window. Ran off that way." He cocked a thumb toward the Spider House.
Tarawen hid a laugh and glanced at Toloran. The elder Sheikah seemed to be fighting a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as well. He cleared his throat a bit more, beginning to wonder if he was coming down with something in the cold, then asked Tarawen, "Could you find that red-head, please? I need to have a talk with him. More than likely, he'd run again if I went looking for him. And Zolaris seems to have had enough of this cold. As has Kaepora."
She nodded, still hiding her laugh then hopped to the window and waited semi-patiently. Zolaris sighed aloud and went to open the window for the Kitsune. Flashing a grin of appreciation, Tarawen jumped out the window then began running over the snow. Her light body would not so easily sink under. Yet, too much longer, and she would be buried nonetheless.
She stopped between the houses and shook off the snow. The cold was already getting through her thick fur. With another burst of speed, she jumped the rest of the way to the old house, easily finding a window that had been broken long ago. She decided not to think about why the old building was called the "Spider House".
Too late. Tarawen shuddered greatly as thoughts of creepy crawlies crawling everywhere flashed through her mind. Then again, Kohachan was supposed to be in there. He wouldn't go into a building crawling with spiders of any size. Would he? Tarawen shuddered again but hopped out of the windowsill, away from the wind, and landed with a hollow sound on the old floorboards.
{Kohachan?} Tarawen walked slowly, all of her senses alert. There was a feeling of evil about the house. Not acute but as though the house had been cursed before. She began weighing her options of being a human form or as a tiny fox. The cold would get to her, more than likely, in humanoid form. Yet she would be more prepared and stronger should there be a fight of any sort.
In the end, she chose to shift back to her humanoid form. She tried in vain to rub warmth into her arms as the winds from outside shifted perfectly to blow through the window behind her. She shook her head and picked up a pole leaning against the crates by the entrance. Apparently, the poles were of broken handles of rakes or scythes used for harvesting food.
The air kept the chill as well as the feel of the curse as she walked perfectly silently into the room deeper. Her thoughts began to drift to finding the Sheikah once again. Then she began to think of what he would have done if he found her instead. She knew him well enough to know he would try to scare her from behind.
As though on cue, there was a sharp swat on her shoulder from behind. She let only a gasp escape her before bringing the pole to slap at anything behind her. The sound of metal ringing as it was drawn flashed in the air before the pole was struck then sliced cleanly through.
Muttering a silent but vehement curse under her breath, Tarawen was about to turn and attack the antagonist full on but a cloak was set over her shoulders directly after the pole was sliced then two strong arms encircled her tightly, preventing her from turning.
She tried to kick back at his shins or groin, knowing from the quick breath behind her that it was a male. His foot moved to catch hers before the arms loosened and the figure backed away from her. She pivoted to find him only to see Kohachan without his cloak holding his hands up a little in peace.
Nonetheless, Tarawen pulled the cloak a bit around her shoulders and half- glared at the redhead. She didn't back down even as she saw an odd look in his eyes. Something was missing still. Stepping up to him as though to unleash her wrath as she had done many a time before, she could see that which was missing.
His mirth. The gleam of mischief every time he did such a stunt. And the absence of that was enough for Tarawen to lose her anger to her curiosity and growing fear. He was somber as though he were at a funeral. Or looking upon someone who would soon die. Finally, she snapped at him, "Kohachan, why did you slap my back like that?!"
He finally blinked and perked his head before answering without emotion, "There was a spider crawling on your shoulder blades. Tarawen . . ." She backed away at his voice. Something truly was wrong. She did not bolt as she planned to when he caught her upper arms. She dropped the pole at last as he locked eyes with her.
"Tarawen . . ." He began again, "Remember my anxiety when we came to Hyrule?" She nodded slightly. "Well, it's back. And I have to follow what it's telling me this time. It's not my demon as I thought it was. Not at all. It's something else. Somewhere else in Hyrule. And I'm going to find out what it is."
"There's something else grabbing your attention? But where? Where are you going? I can help you, Kohachan." Tarawen took a couple steps toward him again but he backed away, his eyes darkening. "No, Tarawen. You cannot come this time. This is something . . . to be settled between this problem and me. Alone. Just tell the others, if I don't return, what exactly is going on."
Tarawen stopped trying to approach him and nodded, though she did not at all like the sounds of things. Kohachan nodded in return then turned away toward the door. Yet the Kitsune's voice stopped him, "Kohachan, aren't you even thinking of the others? How will they take it?"
"Yes, Tarawen, I am thinking of them as well. They will understand. You shouldn't have to worry about them bothering you for answers. Fare thee well, Princes Tarawen." He finally opened the door, revealing that the winds were dying down but a thick snow still fell through the air.
Tarawen pulled the cloak tighter to herself and glared at the redhead again. "I'm going with you, idiot, weather you like it or not, you know." He paused once more at her voice and turned from the door to look at her, his face was an unreadable mask, "Where I go . . . you cannot follow so easily. You will see." She was about to retort once more but he no longer listened to her. He simply pointed behind her instead.
Tarawen didn't need to glance behind herself to know what was back there. It had to be a spider. When she heard the scratchy sound of the bug, she began chanting slightly, knowing the bug couldn't yet reach her. By her side, her palm began to glow.
Repeating the final phrase of the chant, she pivoted to face a large spider- like creature with a shell on its back resembling a skull. Only slightly taken aback by the silvery shell, she was surprised when the bug turned its belly to her. Then she could see the stinger from the under-belly of the torso-sized creature. Not letting the bug take its chance, she held her palm toward the belly, far enough away from the stinger and released the fire spell.
From the glow in her palm, flames erupted and engulfed the dangling creature. The spider-like creature screamed from the flames as the stinger was burned away and the limbs soon after. The thread holding it up also burned, letting the annoying pest fall onto its shell on the ground as it's underbelly then head also burned away. Eventually, the shell also burned and crumbled on the ground.
Satisfied with her work, Tarawen looked to the door again only to find Kohachan was gone. She blinked for only a moment then ran to the door and looked around then looked to the exit of Kakariko village. She could still see him but not much of him at all. Just a darker figure within the snow. Soon, she couldn't see him at all.
Flakes of snow were gathering in her hair and on her shoulders but she didn't notice or care. A grin spread across her features as she laughed under her breath, "Sheikah . . . if you think I'm going to just let you run off on your own onto a new adventure, you have another thing coming indeed." She then turned to the house where Zolaris and Toloran still were. Might as well tell them about the rogue redhead before going off after him.
~~~~~
Toloran had seated himself once more and patiently awaited Tarawen's return. He glanced to Zolaris who was oddly quiet and staring out the window. Something was up. He finally called to the youngest of the group, "What is bothering you, Zolaris? You've been too quiet. Are you worried for Tarawen? Or Kohachan?" Although, he already knew the major deal lying over the young man's head.
As though to pick up the thought, Zolaris turned a bit from the window and casually crossed toward the cooking fires of the room as he snorted, "If anything, I'd be afraid they'd bite each other's heads of." He laughed then at a memory, "Or else they'd go off to find more privacy." His chuckle slowly died as the memory of the hilt of that dagger coming down hard on his neck reprimanded such thoughts.
He shook his head to Toloran, "I don't know. Just something out there is drawing my attention. Like something silent is calling to me. Even the cold is little hindrance in my urge to answer such a call." He gazed at the flames for a while before going toward the door and taking his cloak from among the other two cloaks set there, "Matter of fact, I think I will go and check it out. More than likely, Kohan had also picked up on it. See you later, Toloran. Before tomorrow night, you can be sure."
He stepped toward the door but paused and looked around the room. He had no clue as to where exactly he was going, after all. He gathered a couple potions as well as a water carrier filled with water and a bag for the potions as well as some honey bread Kohachan had especially asked to be made. Though, that was what led to their games afterward.
With his new pack, he saluted Toloran quickly before going out the door, pulling the cloak tightly about himself as the winds whipped it away from his ankles. "Hold on, young man. Hoo-hoo" A voice hooted from the room. Zolaris went back in time to question the old owl. Kaepora was back to turning his head upside down as he bobbed from one talon to the other on the ledge.
The large bird turned his head back upright before turning it around to look at the entrance to the second floor in the wall. "The storm is lessening. My strength is returned. I am going to the castle just now. I could give you a lift." Zolaris thought for a while. The outside was cold and large. Too large to go only on foot.
He nodded to Kaepora then, "Aright. But on the way, can you put me down on the field relatively close to the ranch? Er . . . Then again, just anywhere that has a fast, strong mount. Any ideas?" He was already strapping the pack a bit tighter to his back. Kaepora whipped his head back to look at Zolaris and gave a strange nod, bobbing his head forward and back, "If you can handle the beast, I know of a large black horse well- ridden and in need of a new owner." Zolaris grinned at the thought but Kaepora added as he began to walk on his talons toward the exit, "I'll meet you outside and pick you up."
Again, Zolaris threw open the door only to nearly run into Tarawen. He hastily bowed to her but on the sound of Kaepora's wings, he scrambled past her, the cloak flaring out under the pack, and made his way to the back, not staying even to ask why she was in her humanoid form or why she wore Kohachan's cloak.
Already Kaepora had taken flight in the weakening winds, though snow and biting cold still filled his wings as he labored to hover and sought out his passenger. Seeing the young Sheikah running along the side of the house, he swept down and spread his talons to catch the young man's shoulders when behind the silver-haired boy, a very small fox running and tumbling in a cloak was chasing him.
Tarawen, in her fox form, was forced to leave the cloak behind but at least she could hold onto the other Sheikah. Of each of them, Toloran was the only one she didn't have to keep an eye on!
Kaepora blinked curiously at the sight but his talons wrapped around the Sheikah's arms and his wings beat at the air, easily lifting the young man for the short flight. If there was less than a pound more to Zolaris than usual, he didn't take notice. But Zolaris did as something attached securely to his ankle.
{Zolaris, you are not just taking off without telling me where you are going!}
"Wanna bet?" Zolaris was about to try to shake her off when a large gust filled the owl's wings and pulled them both higher. He let her hold on then as the icy winds chilled him to the bone. He held as best he could to the owl's talons as well. Kakariko quickly fell out from under them.
He then sighed, "Fine, so you will come. Just don't start firing questions like arrows again." Tarawen smirked. Her stubbornness might have put her in danger time and again yet she still won in the end.
~~~~~
The storm was lessening at last as Link stared out the window. Sitting on the edge of one of the many window frames in the empty hall, he looked to Zelda like a young boy wanting to go out on a rainy day but unable to due to the rain. Link leaned back against the wall of it and tapped the ocarina restlessly on his knee.
Still, Zelda couldn't help but blame herself for his situation. Not for being involved in the Legend but in living that war and sleeping through his childhood. Then having to suffer being completely forgotten by people that he came to not only protect but to love.
She thought that making him young once more would solve that problem. Yet he still seemed far from happy with himself. Zelda still wanted to try to make things right someday. Just not on that day.
Sighing lightly, she sat on the sill beside him to look out at the quickly calming storm. "What are you worried about, Link?" She asked softly. He sighed, "Just about this land in general . . . Again. And now that I am here, what is there to do? No one really knows me, after all. Except you, the sages, and my new friends." Zelda winced on the inside. That one hurt. She was the cause of that again for calling him back to the land that forgot him.
"I traveled around. And where I went, I saw other ways of living. Other cultures. It was strange. Many places seemed oblivious to outsiders and any other land than their own. Too many people take it for granted that the way they live will be the same always.
In the wink of an eye, everything can be turned upside down. Or undone all together . . . and not by death. By life and by time. Everything changes eventually." He looked at Zelda only to see her staring out the window. He could see her usually bright blue eyes moistened by unshed tears and blinked in confusion. What did he say?
When she blinked and looked at him again, she had swallowed the tears, "Link . . . do you enjoy your adventures so much? I have a feeling that you don't want to stay in Hyrule." Link had to nod at a thought once more, "I first left only to look for Navi. Now that I found her, I should stay here. It is my home, right? But I do love my adventures. Once a fighter, you can't stop fighting. Once a traveler, the world is your home and you have to keep on traveling."
"Link, please, do what you want. I won't hold you to this land any more. I won't try to call you back if you wish to be the traveler that you've become." She was fighting hard against the tears but was suddenly pulled into a warm, tight embrace. Despite Link was young, he still had a fire burning within him. Zelda felt the bottle she had set for her emotion shatter and tears began to spill silently down her cheeks.
Link didn't let her go. He knew she needed some reassurance and said quietly, "You can't blame yourself anymore, Zelda. I'm fine. Hyrule will survive as it has under the protection of the sages and the Goddesses. And if you want . . . I can stay as well." The tears finally stopped as Zelda pushed against him and shook her head, "No, Link. Do as you will. I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have! I've taken away your childhood to make you a hero against your will.
When I turned you back to the way you are, there was no one but a few who knew the truth of what happened. People you knew didn't know you despite you saved them or even became dearly close friends." She studied his face and saw the wince in his eyes, a twitch at the corner of his mouth, "And I know that it hurts you to realize that. Despite what mask you put on, Link, I know that it hurts. And I don't want to do that to you anymore."
He silenced her with a hard look, storm clouds seemed to be reflected in his eyes, "You do not know of that kind of pain, Zelda. But it was not you. And it was not in Hyrule that that pain struck deeply." Was it her imagination or was his voice much more adult sounding than it should have been?
Link caught himself and shook his head. His eyes cleared up into a deep azure once more. "Nevermind. Forget I mentioned that. But don't blame yourself if you see such a pain in my eyes. That event was not in your hands." Zelda seemed to want to object but a flapping of wings was heard near the window of the mostly empty hall.
Both looked to the window to see Kaepora Gaebora flying toward the castle to hover near their window. Link waved and got up to run to the nearest balcony. Before he ran off, he grinned sheepishly and helped Zelda up from her seat at the windowsill.
At the snow-covered balcony facing the northern side of the castle, Link and Zelda both shoved the door outwards against the snow bank that had built up against the door. "Kaepora!!" Link hailed the large owl. Kaepora perched easily on the stone ledge of the balcony and shook off his great wings. "Hoo hoo News! I bear news for the young Hero of Time. Flying from the forest south of the Lost woods, there was a queer party of five. Two being young horses. One young horse being all too familiar."
Link curt in, his eyes shining, "It was Epona? And the others were three people? It has to be Andrake, Matt, and Cait! About blazing time, too!" He danced about happily, his spirits lifted considerably before pulling Zelda into the dance then looking back to the wise owl. "Can you lead me to them, old friend?"
"Link, don't you think he needs to rest?" Zelda said though she couldn't hold back a giggle from seeing his enthusiasm. Epona was another problem weighing on his mind. Link looked back to her then to Kaepora then to Hyrule, still covered in snow, though the storm was diminished to heavily falling snow and a light wind.
He scratched the back of his head, "I suppose you are right. South of the Lost Woods? Which way are they heading now, Kaepora?" The old owl seemed about to sleep but he shook off the snow once more and answered, "Yes. They are heading due west, into Hyrule field. You can find them at the forest line, no doubt. Near Lake Hylia entrance." Already Link was looking down the balcony as though to look for a place to jump off but the canal was frozen and the snow banks not deep enough to cushion a jump.
"Link, there is no way you can jump from up here!" Zelda grabbed onto his shoulder before he could climb onto the stone guard. "Just watch me!" Link had an adventurous look in his eye once more before jumping from the ledge and reaching the top of one of the trees lined near the canal. The tops bent for a ways to the side with Link's weight. The snow on the branches fell instantly, adding large clumps to the blanket of snow below.
With ice under his hands, Link slipped the moment the bending motion stopped. The tree whipped upright once more, hurling flecks of snow and pine at the castle. "Link, you idiot! When will you learn to use a door?!" Coming from Zelda, the shout was a surprise.
Link grinned in victory and flashed a V sign to Zelda before getting up from the snow and brushing himself off. "I'll be back in no time at all!" He set a fast walk despite the snow up to his shins and started the beeline towards where Kaepora had said the group would again appear.
"Be careful . . ." Zelda said softly as she watched Link go. She had a sudden and sharp feeling of dread. Shaking it off as best she could, she invited Kaepora to warm up in the castle. When he accepted gratefully, she stole one more look to the land and the obvious trail Link was leaving before closing the door behind them.
~~~~~ (Time gap, it stopped snowing)
Far south of the castle, Lake Hylia was feeling the effects of the winter. The water was a thick sheet of ice blanketed by the new snow and glimmered in the light of the setting sun. From the entrance, a steady sound of a horse' labored breath and a series of hooves crushing the snow filled the otherwise silent air.
Kohachan reigned his ebony mount, Trasul, to a halt on the shores of the now frozen Lake Hylia. Why that place was the chosen spot, he did not know. Nonetheless, he was willed to go no further and calmly dismounted.
Taking a long look around, he saw the scarecrows miserably covered in snow as well as the Lake Laboratory also covered. It seemed that the clouds would stay for some time yet, despite the snow had stopped falling. He finally removed the black mask he had worn through the ride. The bitter cold air would have hurt his nose and throat had he not worn it. Even though his tipped ears were still painfully numb.
Taking in a deep breath, he went to a tree growing near the Lake Laboratory and sat in the snow at the base of it. Before him, still where they had come to a stop, the black mount pawed at the earth to get to the grass. Resting himself back against the tree and trying to rub a bit of life back into his arms, Kohachan closed his eyes and let his mind wander. He could feel his demon stirring. Not in malice, though. His Demon was also pondering the situation of the legend.
If Zolaris was of the darkness, then who was of the light? Not him, to be sure. He already knew that he was of wisdom. Crystal with her ability to see into the soul made her the Key of Power. Though, in this case, it was more of ability than of power.
Three others were still missing to be accounted for. Matt, Andrake, and Cait. He wanted to rule out Andrake for he was already related to one of the keys, Crystal. Cait was far too young to be one of the keys, was she not? Too young, innocent, and inexperienced. Wasn't she? No, he could not rule her out.
But what of Matt? He was old enough and nearly as mischievous as himself. He had spirit to spare, one could be sure of that. And on the islands, he had not simply sat back and let things happened for the worse. No. When he was captured, he remained calm enough to at least try and aid Crystal right then. In the face of the demon, he had shown he could walk the fine line between stupidity and courage.
The thought hit him like a physical blow that made him jump from the meditative state. Courage! That was the missing key! But if Matt was the key, then that would mean they were too close for comfort. Kaepora had said they were on their way and coming closer to Hyrule before he flew to the castle to tell Link of them. Zelda would probably try to help them further to enter the land.
But with the time of the eclipse drawing ever closer, that could not be allowed! Kohachan jumped to his feet and gave a sharp whistle, calling the drowsing Trasul to him. Mounting quickly onto the stallion's back, he was about to give it the command to make haste when another dark horse appeared. Its coat was gleaming black under the moon while under an iron face shield. At a longer look, Kohachan noticed the entire mount was armored down the neck and over the chest. Several wild locks of red mane flew from crevices in the neck armor. The heavily muscled leg pawed the earth as the Gerudo Stallion pawed the earth restlessly and curled its neck, looking every bit the war-horse it was. A red light, like a fire, burned in the beast's eyes.
Upon the saddle of the horse was a figure hidden by the dark cloak he wore about him. Leaning over the saddle to look down from the slight incline, he seemed to be of great age but that could not be, since the figure obviously could ride and well. He pulled back the cowl of the cloak to reveal silver hair. Unmistakably it was Zolaris. Yet Zolaris was certainly not himself.
Demon Kohachan knew his own kind.
The sun was set, the clouds quickly parting, and the moon was rising. It was nearly full and shone across the snow, giving it a cold, blue glow with equally cold light. Demon Zolaris grinned as the Light Moon Blade hummed angrily at his side. It knew by then that someone other than the proper wielder was bearing it. Kohachan growled in his throat at the sight.
So, he was to be stopped from stopping Matt's entry to Hyrule. Could the chosen of the Dark Moon God have read his thoughts? No, that could not have been it at all. He tightened his grip on Trasul's mane and called out to Demon Zolaris, his own voice growing thicker than before, "This in not yet your night, Dark One. Get out of my way."
Demon Zolaris shook his head lightly, "No, Key of Wisdom. I will not so easily be banished. You should know that by now." Though Kohachan was somewhat taken off guard, he stood his ground. The Sheikahn bred black horse picked up the feel of anger and pawed the ground restlessly along with the Gerudo stallion, snorting a cloud of breath in the confusion.
Kohachan soothed the mount with a touch and scoffed, "You have no say over what I will or will not do. Do not try to convince me otherwise." With that, he tightened his grip on the strong hairs of the mane and crouched slightly before digging his heels into the sides of the mount. Like a rocket, Trasul charged, kicking up snow behind him. By Kohachan's order, it went straight at the desert Gerudo bred war-horse Demon Zolaris somehow acquired.
By force of pure will and power, Demon Zolaris kept the animal in check after a close brush then laughed in his throat, "Despite your efforts, you will not have a say in the ending of this coming night." With that, Demon Zolaris wheeled his own dark mount around and took off after the Key of Wisdom. Following the runaway was no problem for the snow had all too easily painted the trail. The only factor was of speed. Demon Zolaris grinned wickedly. This was no contest at all. And hardly a challenge.
He gave the demonic horse a coarse word of command and ran the beast faster through the snow. Despite the foot deep of snow, both horses easily jumped the fences before the gate. But the chase did not last long after that. They were too easily gaining on Kohachan and his tiring mount. Unlike the nightmare, the black Gerudo mount was well-rested and far more enduring in fast sprints. He got himself ready, getting up on his feet and crouching on the Gerudo horse, coming up behind and beside Kohachan.
Taking the Light Blade into his hand, he deftly leapt from his horse to behind Kohachan. Wrapping a powerful arm about Kohachan's shoulder, he brought the blade near the Sheikah's throat only to be injured by the blade itself. The hilt nearly burned his hand before even trying to get at Kohachan's flesh.
Before letting a shout of pain, Demon Zolaris brought both himself and Kohachan to the ground, forcing the red-head under himself to take the blow of the fall. Both horses ran further before slowly turning about from the tree line to watch their owners and wait to be called.
Kohachan managed a sharp elbow into Demon Zolaris side but received a hard punch into his spine and fell into the snow again, choking up a bit of blood after the hard fall and from incredible pain of the hard blow. Demon Zolaris stood and rubbed his rib slightly before kicking Kohachan in the shoulder, turning him over.
The red-head's eyes were closed but his features were twisted slightly in pain. He pushed himself into a sitting position in the snow, leaning forward as though he had not the strength to sit up straight. His hand went to his back where he had been punched, as though to feel if anything was out of place.
Least he was not taken . . . yet.
Demon Zolaris held the Light Moon Blade once more and held it first at Kohachan's neck before raising it up, preparing to deliver the final blow. Responding to his command as it had the previous full moon night, the blade changed once more. The wing-like guards flared out from the hilt and the entire blade began to glow a bright white under the moon. The eyes of the Hydra each glittered like white diamonds. Despite not being his, it would serve his purpose to claim this key!
Kohachan managed to open one eye to see the shining blade and held up a hand to the sword. Demon Zolaris scowled at the show of courage and brought the blade to remove the offending hand.
Before the Light Moon Blade could cut into Kohachan's flesh, a bright light emanated between the hand and the sword. Again, the hilt burned Demon Zolaris' hand and he was forced to pull away. "What in the Abyss is going on?!" Demon Zolaris swore more fervently as he drove the blade into the ground and held his inured hand in pain. The blade returned to normal, no longer responding to the touch of the Demon.
Kohachan laughed mirthfully then threw his head back in a long, loud laugh. Demon Zolaris fought off the urge to lunge at the red-head and strangle the laugh from his throat, "Why are you laughing?!" He snarled in naked rage. Kohachan looked to Demon Zolaris again and showed him the hand that he had blocked the sword with.
On his middle finger rested the silver ring. The blue script was aglow more brilliantly light blue than the snow around them. "You forget, Demon Zolaris." Kohachan's voice was a great deal deeper and dangerous than before, "The Keys of the legend are all of neutral power. None are dark or light. Least of all, the one who possesses both a dark and light side." He grinned again "Besides, you cannot get past this ring you see before you or the 'trinkets' the other two have by you. Not on a night where your rival does not walk the land. They may as well be the ultimate shields if you try to take our souls."
Demon Kohachan revealed himself fully, letting the fire in his eyes blaze from a calm red to a bright gold of power and triumph. He stood as Demon Zolaris pulled the sword from the ground and stood his ready, a look of both rage and pleasure for a challenge marked in his black eyes.
He began the attack, only for his blade to meet with Demon Kohachan's katana. The katana seemed to be alight with power from the new Demon wielder. Never missing a step, Demon Zolaris brought the Light Moon Blade to slash at Demon Kohachan's right side.
Again, the blow was blocked. As expected.
He crouched in the snow ad tried a sweep kick only to be avoided once more as Demon Kohachan jumped upward higher than necessary and seemingly into the moon's light. He came down, a hand nearly at the tip of the katana and the blade aiming at Demon Zolaris. Demon Zolaris managed to get the hilt, just above his hand and used it as a shield against the katana.
At the same time his other hand full of snow after gaining a fistful from the crouch threw the snow into Demon Kohachan's eyes. Demon Kohachan landed on his feet but stumbled back more in surprise than pain yet still got the stinging cold ice into his eyes. Demon Zolaris took the chance and landed a roundhouse kick to his opponent's head, knocking him off his feet.
Demon Kohachan fell to one knee and a hand. The other leg was on the foot, ready to jump upward; the other hand held fast to the hilt of the katana, ready it deliver a judgmental blow.
He waited Demon Zolaris' next move and focused on clearing his eyes. Demon Zolaris waited a moment and measured his opponent again. Even as Demon Kohachan was in the snow, he still glared back at him through the snow- wetted tangle of hair. An almost animalistic need for victory shone in the golden eyes. It was a look that spurred Demon Zolaris to end it all that much faster.
He took the Light Moon Blade and crouched slightly on his feet. Rather than leaping upward, he charged straight for Demon Kohachan, the tip of it aimed at the fallen warrior's heart through his shoulder. If he could get around the ring . . . Demon Kohachan managed to leap above the lunge.
The assailant did not have the chance to recover his stance before his would be victim came down, leading with the longer hilt of his own katana, driving the hard wood into Demon Zolaris' spine, and bringing down the Dark Warrior.
Demon Kohachan still kept one eye tightly closed but grinned as he was fallen onto Demon Zolaris back after driving the katana hilt hard onto it, they both lay in the snow for a while. Not long after being attacked with the drop of the hilt, Demon Zolaris roared in pain and rage, struggled to gain access to a dagger. He gained Kohachan's own dagger and tried to stab at the red-head but only managed to nick his side. It was enough to bring a sharp hiss of pain and to earn him to have his arm twisted behind his back and a knee driven deeply into the area that was struck.
After a moment of being in the awkward pin and listening to muttered curses, Demon Zolaris perked an ear to an unusual sound. A sound that was all too familiar and very much welcoming to him. It was a sound opposite of the blade he held. The true Dark Moon Blade. He felt the blade coming closer and calling to him as a child would call to its mother.
He waited and withdrew for the moment. The true time to strike would make itself known soon enough. Demon Kohachan, oblivious to his opponent's scheming and the sound of the approaching Dark Moon Blade, breathed out, "A spine for a spine, I believe."
The younger Sheikah groaned out, "And mine will break completely if you do not get off of it!" Demon Kohachan blinked in surprise. The voice was not that of his opponent's but that of his friends' voice! Quickly as he could despite the wound in his side, he scrambled up from the snow bank they made in the ground before turning to help Zolaris up.
Sure enough, the color, dark though it was, was returned to the young one's eyes. Zolaris coughed a few times but no blood stained his lip. Demon Kohachan could feel his lighter side's relief but was still troubled. Something did not feel right. Demon Zolaris gave up far too easily. "Zolaris, why did your Demon withdraw?" He let himself labor for breath, as being in his own demon form was taxing him too much energy.
He sheathed the katana and looked around then in the pit for the blade Demon Zolaris had wielded. It still lay in the snow pit, almost comically set in it's own mold where Demon Zolaris held it out in a lunging form. The impression of the sword was followed by that of the arm holding it then a head before reaching the mess of two body forms toppled over each other and stained with blood. For the moment, he decided to leave the sword there and attended the new wound.
"I don't know why. I can't even remember much. Tarawen was with me in flying to the desert region then at the Gerudo Fortress."
"To get the mount", Demon Kohachan reasoned as he felt his side, wondering how deeply that "scratch" had truly gone.
Zolaris shrugged, "I guess so. But do you think Tarawen will be okay if she is still with the Gerudo? Before going into the desert area, my demon came and took control, taming that beast with his spirit then left Tarawen there before going after you. Gerudo were made up of women warriors but how would a spitfire Kitsune cope?"
Demon Kohachan nodded then kept a hand pressed hard to the small gash then filled it with snow, hoping to chill the blood and stop the flow, "She will be fine. Tarawen will fit in fine even if she decides to fight against them. Her skill will save her. Nonetheless, we should probably go to get her before she decides to join their kind."
"As though she would! She hates their style of clothing, from what you've told me!"
"That is true. But this in not the hot summer. They will dress more decently for warmth through the winter."
"Oh, true." However, when Zolaris tried to follow after Demon Kohachan to go to the mounts, he found he could not move. Rather, he felt the Demon taking control once more. Growing to panic, he tried to call out to Kohachan to warn him but his voice was muted. His last ditch effort was easily quelled and Demon Zolaris took full control once more.
Demon Kohachan was then glad he had held on as long as he did. Yet he sighed for the persistency of an enemy ultimately doomed to failure. If he was not defeated on that night, he would be killed the next night. Or so he made himself believe.
Nonetheless, anything to help bring out the end of the darkness and coming destruction would help. He drew a few kunai from under his cloak and threw then at the retreating Demon only for them to be blocked by a quick dodge by Demon Zolaris. Despite the fight and the shifting of control, he was still as fast as ever.
Demon Kohachan growled lightly and tried to go after the Warrior. Rather, he felt the pain of the wound
All the while, Demon Zolaris was growing closer to the Dark Moon Blade.
~~~~~
*Whistles* Reaching the mile marker for longest chapter up to date here. Hmm... To end it here or not to end it here? *Gets hit on the shoulder by the flat of Harukaze, swung by Shadow Knight* .o;; Owie!
Shadow Knight: No, you will not end it there. Keep going!
*Cocks an eyebrow at Shadow Knight and sees an army of readers behind him* O_O;; Okay, okay! *Gets back to work and mutters under my breath* I get to be evil to your character now . . .
~~~~~
Not far from the fight scene, Demon Zolaris took to the branches of the dense forestry. On the ground, the trunks were too close together to easily navigate through. Jumping from branch to branch, he put distance between himself and the two fighting behind him. The call of the Dark Moon Blade . . . his blade . . . was stronger than his want of a good fight.
Under the shadow of the branches above him, the forest was as dark and cold as it could be. With the young Sheikah, Zolaris, so unused to the cold, this new bitterness of the dark boughs was enough to make Demon Zolaris pause. He cursed his host's intolerance of the cold and pressed onward. He was closer. So much closer.
A sound caught his ear then. It was only a little further ahead. A shout of surprise followed by a stream of curses. The voice he remembered well. It still burned in his mind with its defiance of his will. The howl of pain was followed by first a bellow of deeper laughter then a peel of light giggles. This only served to renew a shout of fury from the injured one.
Smirking to himself, Demon Zolaris knew his old prey was just waiting there to be taken out. He sped up again, careful not to slip in the foreign trees, so unlike the jungle Zolaris was used to. Soon, the party was in sight but far below and hidden mostly by branches. That only meant that Demon Zolaris was as hidden from them as they were from him.
Matt was jumping about while waving about a red hand, possibly bleeding. Cait was half laughing her head off and half asking if he was okay. Andrake was simply doubled over with laughter. Mass hissed, "Hey! Knock it off already! How was I supposed to know that stupid thing bites?!" He pointed accusingly at the offending plant before them.
Popping up from the sheet of snow, a Deku Baba calmly clamped its jaw and licked the blood from its "lips". Decidedly, Matt took revenge. Unsheathing his staff, he spun it once over his head then jumped up and at the carnivorous plant. Holding the staff tight in both hands, he brought one end of it down and directly onto the Deku Baba's head causing the vegetables' head to be squished on the snow.
The insides of the Deku Baba were enough so that some of the things' insides speckled Matt's vest and face. He glared poison daggers at the plant and wondered where his luck had gone. He did still wear the medallion, after all. He cleaned the staff in the snow along with his bitten hand before looking back to Andrake and Cait.
Upon the first look of his face, the duo broke into a whole new riot of laughter. Matt didn't say anything. After a moment more of glaring, he went off toward a snow bank by a large tree to clean himself up, as best he could. Demon Zolaris had simply waited patiently for that exact chance to be opened to him.
As Matt just started cleaning the green veggies' blood from his face and vest, Demon Zolaris dove for Cait as her eyes here closed and tearing up from laughter. Taking the Dark Moon Blade from its sheathe strapped to her shoulder, he felt the blade's power pulse in alignment to his own power.
With the pulse, two serpentine heads came from the neck of the hilt head. These two spread out much like the wings of the Light Moon Blade's hilt. Miniature versions of the grip itself. The eyes gleamed with darkness as the mouths opened in a silent scream of fury. The detail was as exact to the scales as the Hydra hilt was. Demon Zolaris grinned maliciously and held the blade to look at each of the three heads. Even the head, which he still held, had opened its jaws as though to attack . . . or to consume.
Not pausing long enough for even the fleet Andrake to catch him, Demon Zolaris commanded the blade into a different form. Immediately, the blade responded. A shock of darkness ran up the steel of the blade, tinting it all in shadows, an almost indigo blue outlined a blade within the dark power. Matt looked up from the snow bank only to see Demon Zolaris with a black fire in his eyes bearing the shadowed blade toward him.
On reflex, he drew his sword from his back and moved to defend against the attack. The Dark Moon Blade passed through the steel of Matt's sword then clashed against the boy's chest. The phantom-like blade passed through points of Matt's ribs but not far at all past the medallion on Matt's chest.
"MAATTT!!!" Cait shrieked in fear as she saw Matt flinch from the biting cold of the dark blade and gasped in shock, nonetheless, he held strong to his blade and managed to bring the sword around slash at Demon Zolaris' own side. But Demon Zolaris nimbly jumped back, despite his confusion of what blacked his blade. With a thought, the shadows of the Dark Moon Blade formed into solid steel once more.
Nonetheless, Demon Zolaris would not be slighted his revenge against the boy. He took on the attack once more, acting before Cait's shrieking could end and before Andrake could recover himself. He dashed towards Matt again, this time kneeing the boy in the stomach. Matt doubled forward at the force but would not be taken down so easily.
To add to the confusion, Andrake was on the attack in a flash. His sword was drawn and raised to strike at an over-head thrust. One of his specialties. He came closer to Demon Zolaris only for the blade of the Dark Moon Blade to block the attack. At the close view, Andrake glanced and saw only one set of eyes of the Hydra were all glowing black, the mouths gaping at him menacingly and looking life-like enough to act on their own and bite him.
In his moment of distraction, Andrake was thrown off by the Demon. He caught himself though slid back in the snow, flaring his free arm to keep from falling. Demon Zolaris grinned again at his handiwork. Before he could move again, the shout of Matt on the attack sounded in the forest. He had kicked off of the tree where he had cleaned off at and was coming down for a powerful jump attack.
Demon Zolaris crouched only slightly and held the blade protectively above his head. Blades clashed once more but Matt was prepared. He jumped back, off of Demon Zolairs' back and into the tree again. Coiling his leg muscles on the tree trunk, he pushed off as best he could to attack the Demon again. However, he didn't have the chance to even jump.
The Demon was there. Demon Zolaris had taken up the dropped staff along with his own blade and used the butt of the staff, driving it into Matt's back and forcing him down into the snow again. Taking up the Dark Moon Blade, he commanded it to be of shadows once more. The medallion would not protect the boy from behind, after all.
He looked back at Andrake, the smirk of pleasure vanished from his lips. Andrake brought about his own blade again in another over-head thrust. This one scored deeply on Demon Zolaris unprotected left side. The staff was dropped immediately as Demon Zolaris hissed in pain. His face was twisted in rage as he turned to face off against Andrake once more. The dark Moon Blade became of steel once more.
Their blades met momentarily but Andrake parried the blow only to deliver a punch into the already injured shoulder. After that attack, he came back with his own sword and jumped back slightly to attack with a downward vertical slash. Demon Zolaris growled animalistic in rage and pain but was not so filled with anger to be blinded in battle. With a quick movement, he turned his grip over, bringing the mouth of the main head against Andrake's blade to knock it off balance. Bringing his other fist up hard, he punched the knight in the stomach.
Andrake gasped in both surprise and pain but that did not last long. Demon Zolaris followed through, bringing the elbow of the punching arm over Andrake's back, he slammed down hard again between the shoulder blades. Andrake fell to the snow yet still caught himself on his hands. Spouting a vile curse in a trade language, he reached back for a dagger in his boot. Not willing to give up either. Just as Matt would not give up.
Before he could draw the long knife, Demon Zolaris kicked him powerfully in the side. Andrake was kicked out of the snow and sent to tumble through the air and land on his other side. He did not stir.
Demon Zolaris turned his dark sight upon the young and tepid Cait as she stayed upon Diamond's back, seemingly paralyzed by fear. The Palomino snorted in warning, backing quickly away from Demon Zolaris. He demon's grin returned with a thought, "The young boy seems fond of you. Perhaps taking your life before his soul would be even more delightful a way to make him suffer." Without another word, Demon Zolaris was at the beast's side and took the girl from his back.
Diamond, as expected, shied away. Cait screamed again and tried to fight off Demon Zolaris, punching and kicking and even trying to bite. Nonetheless, he held her tightly with one arm then locked his other hand to the back of her neck.
She gasped in fear of the forceful touch before her eyes began to close and her frantic attempt to fight back became futile. Demon Zolaris set her in the snow, lifting his hand from the pressure points on her neck he had triggered. Her shouting was irritating enough.
Not taking too much care in the matter, he relieved the young girl of the sheath for the Dark Moon Blade and strapped it about his waist. Yet he was loath to sheathe the blade too soon. Carrying it with him, he glanced at Cait once more. She lay asleep in the snow. Would it be better to have the boy wake up to find his little traveling partner dead or should he be made to watch?
Demon Zolaris finally came to a decision. He would simply wake her up and let her screams awaken the boy. Then the pest of a Key would see exactly who he dealt with before he died. Grinning wider at the thought, he reaches for Cait. With a short whistle, an arrow flew and landed directly into Demon Zolaris hand, piercing it through.
He roared in the new, unexpected pain and held his hand up. Stabbing the Dark Moon Blade into the snow once more, he broke the shaft of the arrow from his palm, letting the new pain enflame his anger. Looking along the arrows' path to find who would dare attack him from afar, he did not expect what he saw. The sight was enough to surprise and intrigue some of the rage from him.
Holding the bow before her and now wrapped in a thick furred cloak, Tarawen glared hard at him. Her face remained calm but the look of fierce determination was there nonetheless. Behind her, their very tanned faces half-masked as was their tradition, a band of four Gerudo warriors held their spear-tipped staffs at the ready.
For the winter, their clothing was more complete, helping to keep their entire bodies warm against the sharpest of chill winds. Their thick coats did nothing to hide their lithe forms as well as their muscles in their arms. It was plain to see that these women fought just as well as any man. Any . . . normal man, that is.
Demon Zolaris still held his confident grin. He was no normal man. He held the heavily bleeding wound toward Tarawen even as she nocked another arrow then shouted with a snort, "Are you proud of this, Kitsune? This little hole?" He kept the grin as of its own will, the wound closed up and the bleeding stopped. "Know this, Tarawen. As long as it is my night to walk the earth, it will take more than what you have to offer in order to defeat me!"
He leapt into the trees once more, sheathing the Dark Moon Blade to free up his hand. Tarawen sent another arrow flying after him but when she looked at the Demon, she saw her long time friend, Zolaris. The arrow easily missed the intended target. "That was a warning shot, Demon. Wait until the next time we meet." She swore mildly to herself as she saw the clearing then looked to the women following her lead. "You two, get to Hyrule field as quickly as you can. Stop the fighting there and get them to safety. Mention I sent you, the fighting should stop. You others, help me with the wounded!"
Immediately, the Gerudo followed the Kitsune's commands. They did owe her, after all. Tarawen only hoped that Demon Kohachan, whom she had heard yell in anger and pain, would be able to come to reason after the fight. He should at least have sense to stop fighting if he was injured, not charge back into a fight he could not win. But then, this was Kohachan she thought about . . .
She then focused on the task at hand, looking to each of the fallen but zeroed in on Matt. He still lay face down in the snow, not moving from the base of the tree. She turned him over and felt his face. It was as cold as death. Never minding her appearance, she removed her cloak and set it round the boy before letting a gentle heat radiate from her hands and warm through the cloak to warm Matt's torso and his face but not enough to put him into shock.
One of the Gerudo looked over to the boy and noticed once more the tail and ears of the Kitsune girl. Despite the fox features, she was a fighter nonetheless. She then attended helping up the fallen young man from the snow bank he landed in. She could see he was still breathing though his breath was shallow. He was lucky to not have cracked his skull on the tree just near him. She easily hefted him, armor and all, up onto one shoulder. Making sure of her steps on the snow, she walked him to the larger horse, slinging him over the back of the young horse.
The other Gerudo, dressed in a brighter fiery colored cloak, helped the young girl from the snow before abandoning her own cloak as well to wrap the young girl into it. Other than a bruise forming on her neck, she seemed unharmed. They could not have been late to have gotten there. The scream was heard just before their arrival, not to mention the sounds previous that of a couple other fights. The screaming of that name, "Matt", was a blood-curdling one . . . She shook it off as the memory did not faze her and simply carried the small girl.
Both women looked to Tarawen again as Tarawen was lifting Matt into her arms then set him onto Epona, speaking a few words to calm the mare. "Okay. The first thing is to make sure these three stay safe. Let's get moving. We have a Demon to stop. All we have to do is hold him off until the full moon passes. Then he will be back to normal, supposedly."
The one by Andrake protested sharply, her voice was thickly accented, "But he tried to kill that boy and nearly did kill the young child before you stopped him. We cannot let him get away with that!"
"You would just let him go to take a life?!" The other added her protest.
Tarawen shook her head, "No, that Demon did not take a life. But . . . it seems he was more than ready to. That is why we have to try to stop him this night. So he doesn't succeed the next attempt!" With that, she glared at the direction the Demon had gone and took to the forestry off the ground. Had it not been for the horses, the Gerudo could have taken to the branches as well.
~~~~~
"Touchy." Demon Zolaris grinned to himself. Even he was rather surprised on how much resistance was being put up. And soon, he would have a different key before doubling back for that one. Then . . . he could go for the third. And the third wouldn't even see it coming. Like clockwork, this was. And with the Light Moon Blade . . . Not even he could fathom the power he would be granted.
Demon Zolaris set a hand to the hilt once more, as though to caress the beast at his command; the beast that was the spirit within the blade and the form of the Dark Moon God. He was glad to be rid of the ridiculous winged one, even though that beast had taken care of the Fighter from the island quite completely.
He began to muse over the abilities of his own blade as he jumped from one branch to the next, getting closer and closer to the snow-blanketed field.
The Keys needed to remain in tact but that didn't mean it needed its body for the job. Only it's soul where the gift was. The gift that made it the Key, thus his tool to power. With the Dark Moon Blade, he'd be able to gather the souls, not try to gather the people. Yes. Much more effective.
The trees were nearly at their thickest point before giving way to the odd clearing with only the hill to the north and the few scattered trees as well as a large boulder all covered in snow marked the battlegrounds. When he looked around, though, he saw no sign of Demon Kohachan, Oni Link, or Tarawen, whom he rather expected to be directly on his tail.
Shrugging to himself, he leapt down from the branches and looked across the land toward the lake. The ranch was not far away from that point. Not even a long run much less ride. But he could not feel Kohachan's demon there. Perhaps Kohachan had indeed calmed down. Or had that fool of a Sheikah gone off into the forest after him and dropped from loss of blood? The gash in his side wasn't allowed to heal up. Not as long as he had been there, fighting him.
A sudden thought drowned out that anger almost immediately. When he had left into the forest after the fight, he had left the Light Moon Blade behind and in the snow. He nearly well scrambled from the snow and half bounded to where the snow had been impressed and thrashed by two bodies. Blood had stained the snow in too many areas to pinpoint where the initial cut had taken place.
Nearly diving headlong into the snow where the imprint of the sword was, he reached in to find the cold blade. But he found nothing.
"What?!" He snarled in anger and began to dig into the snow with both hands, searching along from the tip of the imprint to where the grip had sunken in. But it was not to be found.
"Are you through cavorting about?" A calm but firm voice asked from the tree line behind him. Demon Zolaris surrendered the search for the moment and drew the Dark Moon Blade as he whipped around to see a figure cloaked in light gray. The voice was familiar but at the same time unlike what he's heard in a very long time indeed. Trying to figure it out was annoying enough and he was already beyond irritated for the missing blade.
"And who are you to ask such a thing?" The figure's face was kept well covered by the cowl but the voice answered, "I'm one whom you seem to have been waiting to meet. Yet we know each other all too well, Demon Zolaris. Can't you recognize your own opposite?"
Toloran pulled back his cowl to face the Demon. His eyes had changed. Like the moon itself, his pupils were alight in the darkness and his skin was slightly paler, matching the snow yet gave a warm light, unlike the glittery cold snow.
Finally, he revealed what had been kept in his other hand and behind his back. It was the Light Moon Blade. But it did not respond to being held by its owner as either blade had reacted to Demon Zolaris' touch. The night of the full moon was not his night to walk the earth. Yet sings of his "Demon" were apparent mainly in his eyes which held only a glimmer of Toloran's usual brown/green eyes.
He gave Demon Zolaris one last hard look then looked to the heads on the blade hilt with the gleaming black eyes. So, it was true that Demon Zolaris had been busy for some time now.
Demon Zolaris noticed the point of interest and set his hand to the hilt of the blade automatically. It was still thrumming with low power, still wanting to take a Key soul to hold. "You are too late, Light Warrior. I already have claimed this blade of mine. You will not obtain it so easily from the fool travelers."
From the tree line, the sound of a bow being nocked was heard just faintly. Demon Zolaris and Toloran both looked to the tree line to see Tarawen once more with the bow ready and with an arrow trained on Demon Zolaris. Even if she did not intend to kill him, there were ways to immobilize him. Behind her, both Gerudo were guiding the horses as quietly as they could through the forestry still. Demon Zolaris then looked to the night sky. It was beginning to get late . . . or early as the case may be.
"Seems the fun of this night is coming to a close. We will meet again, Chosen of the Light Moon God . . ." He nodded to Tarawen before holding up the Dark Moon Blade. The aura of darkness crept from the blade to envelop him completely and he vanished into it.
Tarawen released the arrow just as the Demon vanished into the darkness. The arrow went past the remaining illusion and into the wall of the plateau in the distance. Tarawen wordlessly glared at where the Demon stood before lowering her bow. Toloran sheathed the Light Moon Blade onto his back. His other blade, a sword passed down in his family, was left behind but in the safety of Impa's home.
"It's not worth it, Tarawen. Don't be angry just for that. He will get what is coming to him, you can be sure." Toloran calmly went to her side, walking gracefully despite the snow trying to hinder his steps. From the trees, the two Gerudo brought the horses out. On Epona's back, Matt lay and seemed for all the world dead, though he only remained deeply comatose.
On Diamond's back, Andrake was beginning to stir slightly but wasn't likely to gain enough strength to get back up for some time yet. Cait was still held in the arm of the senior Gerudo warrior. Epona looked about. A familiar scent was in the air. And not only the smell of blood in the air, which she was too used to. Without bidding, the young mare started off, while carrying Matt, in the direction she knew Link was.
Tarawen commanded Epona to halt with a word then looked to the two Gerudo, "How far away could your sisters have taken the one who was injured?"
"They will be taken to the desert fortress. It is not far and will be protected under little guard since the one we heard fighting was a male we know. We make an exception for the red-head Sheikah. He's proven to be a fair enough swordsman. And he should be glad of the privilege!" Tarawen couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly. The Gerudo still insisted that all men but their former king was below them.
Wait. When did Kohachan make a difference? Link had only mentioned them a little but spoke somewhat fondly of them and of their strength as women warriors. But when the subject came up, Kohachan seemed to want to change it rather quickly. She would have to have a word with him about that when this night was over.
She nodded to Toloran, "We will have to go there, then. Least until Zolaris is turned to normal again and found."
"I don't think he will be found again, Princess Tarawen." Toloran spoke her formal title before the warrior women. "He might have gone off to keep Zolaris from messing up his plans. A place where the youth can do no mischief that would work against his plan. We shouldn't need to worry about him. But if your idea is to get these three to safety to recover, then that would be for the best." Tarawen nodded, despite that she loathed the use of her title to her name.
She allowed the Gerudo to lead and stayed with Andrake to make sure the young man did not fall from the mount. They all knew that it was going to be a long trip at the rate they were going. Toloran re-assured them that Demon Zolaris would not return. He could still sense the Demon but very far away and toward Death Mountain. On the opposite side from Hyrule Field. Nonetheless, even as he muttered responses to idle questions and maintained balance for Matt, his mind was far elsewhere . . . Elsewhere and in the all too near future.
~~~~~~~
Ummm . . . my goal was to be evil to someone but why that someone was Matt . . . I don't know! @_@;; But hey . . . it could have been a lot worse. *Whistles innocently*
Sooo, what do you think will happen next? Matt is still alive but his comatose! Andrake and Cait are also finally in Hyrule though not awake to enjoy the snowy land. What a welcome to a new land, eh? And now Kohachan seems to be slightly injured and who knows what else the Gerudo are doing to him. The Light Warrior has been officially found and the keys are targeted.
*Still in hiding from the others* heh... I think one certain reviewer might hurt me. And you know who you are! *Glances back at the room* Sooo, I'll be out here. Hmm . . . before you try to hunt me down, remember, I still didn't kill the character! *Pitches a tent and wraps up into a sleeping bag* If you have any flames for a forever long chapter . . . well . . . Give them to the Sheikah and have a happy April Fools Day! *Crawls into the tent to hide out for a while*
Until next time!
*Whistles* Seems this story has gone pretty much out the window after leaving it for so long, eh? Oh well. We've come far too far to simply give up now. So, one more for good old times.
Luna Yami: *Now wielding a bo staff rather than the mallet* I'll keep a look out for typo demons this time around. No worries about that at least!
Kohachan: *Appears and looks none-too-happily at Shadow Girl* You! You stuck me out in the cold!
o_o; There was good reason! Aiiyyy!!!! *Tries to run but is caught by the Sheikah then thrown out the window*
Tarawen: *Swipes Kohachan upside the head* You didn't have to toss out the authoress!
Kohachan: Yes, well, I wanted to do that anyway. *Ducks another swipe* Ahem . . . onto the dedications!
Shadow Knight: *Eyes one of the reviewers* Hmm.... A guy who used to review here. Be ye Dragonkiller?
Kohachan: That's what I think as well. Heh. Thanks for the compliment, me thinks. And thanks for the review.
Luna Yami: And this chapter also is for Erinamation-limited2-nothing. ^_^
Kohachan: This story also goes out to Jelie36. Welcome back, Jelie *Bows respectfully* Katie is out of the picture for now. Her role is mostly done. But she has one more part in the end, that she does. Neh? When was it revealed that Toloran was the Warrior of Light? (So to speak . . .) And it is also for Angle1. Tomas was out in mid-day? Interesting . . . At any rate, thank you for the compliments and the warm welcome. You can be sure that Cait, Andrake, and Matt will be there in time for the big fight.
Tarawen: *winces only lightly at the mentioning of a vampire* Nonetheless, there are still more. This is also dedicated to Shadow Knight. You can bet that the battle royal is coming, but still another chapter between now and then. Call it the warm-up fight.
Shadow Knight: Hehe ^-^; Building action! Big chapters! But last and not least, this chapter goes out to MonoChronos. The great battle of light vs. dark indeed is coming! And the supplies might be running dry but they are almost there. So close! x.x;
Kohachan: Oro? A new reviewer? Most interesting. Must have taken some time for you to have caught up with us, Mithrandir. Welcome and thank you for the review and the offer. Yet this story is also dedicated to Luna Yami. That being said and done, let's move on to the chapter. Hmm . . . This chapter seems to start as a continuation of the last chapter . . .
(Outside) *Taking notes on a pad of paper* Write super-long chapter . . . check. Be evil to someone or other . . . Double-check. *Evil grin* Well, get comfy cause this is the longest chapter yet Ladies and gents . . .
~~~~~~~
~ Sneak Attacks ~
Kaepora fluffed his feathers once more then shook himself, shedding only a single feather in the process. The feather drifted over toward the fluff ball on the futon. Two fox ears followed by a small head picked up from the bushy tail. The old owl watched closely as the tiny fox stood up from the cushion and shook off the feather before jumping down from the upper level and landing square on Zolaris' head.
From his head, she jumped down again to land on the center of the table, then looked around. {Where did Kohachan go?} She stretched out as Zolaris fixed his hair before answering, "He got scared off by Toloran and jumped out the window. Ran off that way." He cocked a thumb toward the Spider House.
Tarawen hid a laugh and glanced at Toloran. The elder Sheikah seemed to be fighting a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as well. He cleared his throat a bit more, beginning to wonder if he was coming down with something in the cold, then asked Tarawen, "Could you find that red-head, please? I need to have a talk with him. More than likely, he'd run again if I went looking for him. And Zolaris seems to have had enough of this cold. As has Kaepora."
She nodded, still hiding her laugh then hopped to the window and waited semi-patiently. Zolaris sighed aloud and went to open the window for the Kitsune. Flashing a grin of appreciation, Tarawen jumped out the window then began running over the snow. Her light body would not so easily sink under. Yet, too much longer, and she would be buried nonetheless.
She stopped between the houses and shook off the snow. The cold was already getting through her thick fur. With another burst of speed, she jumped the rest of the way to the old house, easily finding a window that had been broken long ago. She decided not to think about why the old building was called the "Spider House".
Too late. Tarawen shuddered greatly as thoughts of creepy crawlies crawling everywhere flashed through her mind. Then again, Kohachan was supposed to be in there. He wouldn't go into a building crawling with spiders of any size. Would he? Tarawen shuddered again but hopped out of the windowsill, away from the wind, and landed with a hollow sound on the old floorboards.
{Kohachan?} Tarawen walked slowly, all of her senses alert. There was a feeling of evil about the house. Not acute but as though the house had been cursed before. She began weighing her options of being a human form or as a tiny fox. The cold would get to her, more than likely, in humanoid form. Yet she would be more prepared and stronger should there be a fight of any sort.
In the end, she chose to shift back to her humanoid form. She tried in vain to rub warmth into her arms as the winds from outside shifted perfectly to blow through the window behind her. She shook her head and picked up a pole leaning against the crates by the entrance. Apparently, the poles were of broken handles of rakes or scythes used for harvesting food.
The air kept the chill as well as the feel of the curse as she walked perfectly silently into the room deeper. Her thoughts began to drift to finding the Sheikah once again. Then she began to think of what he would have done if he found her instead. She knew him well enough to know he would try to scare her from behind.
As though on cue, there was a sharp swat on her shoulder from behind. She let only a gasp escape her before bringing the pole to slap at anything behind her. The sound of metal ringing as it was drawn flashed in the air before the pole was struck then sliced cleanly through.
Muttering a silent but vehement curse under her breath, Tarawen was about to turn and attack the antagonist full on but a cloak was set over her shoulders directly after the pole was sliced then two strong arms encircled her tightly, preventing her from turning.
She tried to kick back at his shins or groin, knowing from the quick breath behind her that it was a male. His foot moved to catch hers before the arms loosened and the figure backed away from her. She pivoted to find him only to see Kohachan without his cloak holding his hands up a little in peace.
Nonetheless, Tarawen pulled the cloak a bit around her shoulders and half- glared at the redhead. She didn't back down even as she saw an odd look in his eyes. Something was missing still. Stepping up to him as though to unleash her wrath as she had done many a time before, she could see that which was missing.
His mirth. The gleam of mischief every time he did such a stunt. And the absence of that was enough for Tarawen to lose her anger to her curiosity and growing fear. He was somber as though he were at a funeral. Or looking upon someone who would soon die. Finally, she snapped at him, "Kohachan, why did you slap my back like that?!"
He finally blinked and perked his head before answering without emotion, "There was a spider crawling on your shoulder blades. Tarawen . . ." She backed away at his voice. Something truly was wrong. She did not bolt as she planned to when he caught her upper arms. She dropped the pole at last as he locked eyes with her.
"Tarawen . . ." He began again, "Remember my anxiety when we came to Hyrule?" She nodded slightly. "Well, it's back. And I have to follow what it's telling me this time. It's not my demon as I thought it was. Not at all. It's something else. Somewhere else in Hyrule. And I'm going to find out what it is."
"There's something else grabbing your attention? But where? Where are you going? I can help you, Kohachan." Tarawen took a couple steps toward him again but he backed away, his eyes darkening. "No, Tarawen. You cannot come this time. This is something . . . to be settled between this problem and me. Alone. Just tell the others, if I don't return, what exactly is going on."
Tarawen stopped trying to approach him and nodded, though she did not at all like the sounds of things. Kohachan nodded in return then turned away toward the door. Yet the Kitsune's voice stopped him, "Kohachan, aren't you even thinking of the others? How will they take it?"
"Yes, Tarawen, I am thinking of them as well. They will understand. You shouldn't have to worry about them bothering you for answers. Fare thee well, Princes Tarawen." He finally opened the door, revealing that the winds were dying down but a thick snow still fell through the air.
Tarawen pulled the cloak tighter to herself and glared at the redhead again. "I'm going with you, idiot, weather you like it or not, you know." He paused once more at her voice and turned from the door to look at her, his face was an unreadable mask, "Where I go . . . you cannot follow so easily. You will see." She was about to retort once more but he no longer listened to her. He simply pointed behind her instead.
Tarawen didn't need to glance behind herself to know what was back there. It had to be a spider. When she heard the scratchy sound of the bug, she began chanting slightly, knowing the bug couldn't yet reach her. By her side, her palm began to glow.
Repeating the final phrase of the chant, she pivoted to face a large spider- like creature with a shell on its back resembling a skull. Only slightly taken aback by the silvery shell, she was surprised when the bug turned its belly to her. Then she could see the stinger from the under-belly of the torso-sized creature. Not letting the bug take its chance, she held her palm toward the belly, far enough away from the stinger and released the fire spell.
From the glow in her palm, flames erupted and engulfed the dangling creature. The spider-like creature screamed from the flames as the stinger was burned away and the limbs soon after. The thread holding it up also burned, letting the annoying pest fall onto its shell on the ground as it's underbelly then head also burned away. Eventually, the shell also burned and crumbled on the ground.
Satisfied with her work, Tarawen looked to the door again only to find Kohachan was gone. She blinked for only a moment then ran to the door and looked around then looked to the exit of Kakariko village. She could still see him but not much of him at all. Just a darker figure within the snow. Soon, she couldn't see him at all.
Flakes of snow were gathering in her hair and on her shoulders but she didn't notice or care. A grin spread across her features as she laughed under her breath, "Sheikah . . . if you think I'm going to just let you run off on your own onto a new adventure, you have another thing coming indeed." She then turned to the house where Zolaris and Toloran still were. Might as well tell them about the rogue redhead before going off after him.
~~~~~
Toloran had seated himself once more and patiently awaited Tarawen's return. He glanced to Zolaris who was oddly quiet and staring out the window. Something was up. He finally called to the youngest of the group, "What is bothering you, Zolaris? You've been too quiet. Are you worried for Tarawen? Or Kohachan?" Although, he already knew the major deal lying over the young man's head.
As though to pick up the thought, Zolaris turned a bit from the window and casually crossed toward the cooking fires of the room as he snorted, "If anything, I'd be afraid they'd bite each other's heads of." He laughed then at a memory, "Or else they'd go off to find more privacy." His chuckle slowly died as the memory of the hilt of that dagger coming down hard on his neck reprimanded such thoughts.
He shook his head to Toloran, "I don't know. Just something out there is drawing my attention. Like something silent is calling to me. Even the cold is little hindrance in my urge to answer such a call." He gazed at the flames for a while before going toward the door and taking his cloak from among the other two cloaks set there, "Matter of fact, I think I will go and check it out. More than likely, Kohan had also picked up on it. See you later, Toloran. Before tomorrow night, you can be sure."
He stepped toward the door but paused and looked around the room. He had no clue as to where exactly he was going, after all. He gathered a couple potions as well as a water carrier filled with water and a bag for the potions as well as some honey bread Kohachan had especially asked to be made. Though, that was what led to their games afterward.
With his new pack, he saluted Toloran quickly before going out the door, pulling the cloak tightly about himself as the winds whipped it away from his ankles. "Hold on, young man. Hoo-hoo" A voice hooted from the room. Zolaris went back in time to question the old owl. Kaepora was back to turning his head upside down as he bobbed from one talon to the other on the ledge.
The large bird turned his head back upright before turning it around to look at the entrance to the second floor in the wall. "The storm is lessening. My strength is returned. I am going to the castle just now. I could give you a lift." Zolaris thought for a while. The outside was cold and large. Too large to go only on foot.
He nodded to Kaepora then, "Aright. But on the way, can you put me down on the field relatively close to the ranch? Er . . . Then again, just anywhere that has a fast, strong mount. Any ideas?" He was already strapping the pack a bit tighter to his back. Kaepora whipped his head back to look at Zolaris and gave a strange nod, bobbing his head forward and back, "If you can handle the beast, I know of a large black horse well- ridden and in need of a new owner." Zolaris grinned at the thought but Kaepora added as he began to walk on his talons toward the exit, "I'll meet you outside and pick you up."
Again, Zolaris threw open the door only to nearly run into Tarawen. He hastily bowed to her but on the sound of Kaepora's wings, he scrambled past her, the cloak flaring out under the pack, and made his way to the back, not staying even to ask why she was in her humanoid form or why she wore Kohachan's cloak.
Already Kaepora had taken flight in the weakening winds, though snow and biting cold still filled his wings as he labored to hover and sought out his passenger. Seeing the young Sheikah running along the side of the house, he swept down and spread his talons to catch the young man's shoulders when behind the silver-haired boy, a very small fox running and tumbling in a cloak was chasing him.
Tarawen, in her fox form, was forced to leave the cloak behind but at least she could hold onto the other Sheikah. Of each of them, Toloran was the only one she didn't have to keep an eye on!
Kaepora blinked curiously at the sight but his talons wrapped around the Sheikah's arms and his wings beat at the air, easily lifting the young man for the short flight. If there was less than a pound more to Zolaris than usual, he didn't take notice. But Zolaris did as something attached securely to his ankle.
{Zolaris, you are not just taking off without telling me where you are going!}
"Wanna bet?" Zolaris was about to try to shake her off when a large gust filled the owl's wings and pulled them both higher. He let her hold on then as the icy winds chilled him to the bone. He held as best he could to the owl's talons as well. Kakariko quickly fell out from under them.
He then sighed, "Fine, so you will come. Just don't start firing questions like arrows again." Tarawen smirked. Her stubbornness might have put her in danger time and again yet she still won in the end.
~~~~~
The storm was lessening at last as Link stared out the window. Sitting on the edge of one of the many window frames in the empty hall, he looked to Zelda like a young boy wanting to go out on a rainy day but unable to due to the rain. Link leaned back against the wall of it and tapped the ocarina restlessly on his knee.
Still, Zelda couldn't help but blame herself for his situation. Not for being involved in the Legend but in living that war and sleeping through his childhood. Then having to suffer being completely forgotten by people that he came to not only protect but to love.
She thought that making him young once more would solve that problem. Yet he still seemed far from happy with himself. Zelda still wanted to try to make things right someday. Just not on that day.
Sighing lightly, she sat on the sill beside him to look out at the quickly calming storm. "What are you worried about, Link?" She asked softly. He sighed, "Just about this land in general . . . Again. And now that I am here, what is there to do? No one really knows me, after all. Except you, the sages, and my new friends." Zelda winced on the inside. That one hurt. She was the cause of that again for calling him back to the land that forgot him.
"I traveled around. And where I went, I saw other ways of living. Other cultures. It was strange. Many places seemed oblivious to outsiders and any other land than their own. Too many people take it for granted that the way they live will be the same always.
In the wink of an eye, everything can be turned upside down. Or undone all together . . . and not by death. By life and by time. Everything changes eventually." He looked at Zelda only to see her staring out the window. He could see her usually bright blue eyes moistened by unshed tears and blinked in confusion. What did he say?
When she blinked and looked at him again, she had swallowed the tears, "Link . . . do you enjoy your adventures so much? I have a feeling that you don't want to stay in Hyrule." Link had to nod at a thought once more, "I first left only to look for Navi. Now that I found her, I should stay here. It is my home, right? But I do love my adventures. Once a fighter, you can't stop fighting. Once a traveler, the world is your home and you have to keep on traveling."
"Link, please, do what you want. I won't hold you to this land any more. I won't try to call you back if you wish to be the traveler that you've become." She was fighting hard against the tears but was suddenly pulled into a warm, tight embrace. Despite Link was young, he still had a fire burning within him. Zelda felt the bottle she had set for her emotion shatter and tears began to spill silently down her cheeks.
Link didn't let her go. He knew she needed some reassurance and said quietly, "You can't blame yourself anymore, Zelda. I'm fine. Hyrule will survive as it has under the protection of the sages and the Goddesses. And if you want . . . I can stay as well." The tears finally stopped as Zelda pushed against him and shook her head, "No, Link. Do as you will. I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have! I've taken away your childhood to make you a hero against your will.
When I turned you back to the way you are, there was no one but a few who knew the truth of what happened. People you knew didn't know you despite you saved them or even became dearly close friends." She studied his face and saw the wince in his eyes, a twitch at the corner of his mouth, "And I know that it hurts you to realize that. Despite what mask you put on, Link, I know that it hurts. And I don't want to do that to you anymore."
He silenced her with a hard look, storm clouds seemed to be reflected in his eyes, "You do not know of that kind of pain, Zelda. But it was not you. And it was not in Hyrule that that pain struck deeply." Was it her imagination or was his voice much more adult sounding than it should have been?
Link caught himself and shook his head. His eyes cleared up into a deep azure once more. "Nevermind. Forget I mentioned that. But don't blame yourself if you see such a pain in my eyes. That event was not in your hands." Zelda seemed to want to object but a flapping of wings was heard near the window of the mostly empty hall.
Both looked to the window to see Kaepora Gaebora flying toward the castle to hover near their window. Link waved and got up to run to the nearest balcony. Before he ran off, he grinned sheepishly and helped Zelda up from her seat at the windowsill.
At the snow-covered balcony facing the northern side of the castle, Link and Zelda both shoved the door outwards against the snow bank that had built up against the door. "Kaepora!!" Link hailed the large owl. Kaepora perched easily on the stone ledge of the balcony and shook off his great wings. "Hoo hoo News! I bear news for the young Hero of Time. Flying from the forest south of the Lost woods, there was a queer party of five. Two being young horses. One young horse being all too familiar."
Link curt in, his eyes shining, "It was Epona? And the others were three people? It has to be Andrake, Matt, and Cait! About blazing time, too!" He danced about happily, his spirits lifted considerably before pulling Zelda into the dance then looking back to the wise owl. "Can you lead me to them, old friend?"
"Link, don't you think he needs to rest?" Zelda said though she couldn't hold back a giggle from seeing his enthusiasm. Epona was another problem weighing on his mind. Link looked back to her then to Kaepora then to Hyrule, still covered in snow, though the storm was diminished to heavily falling snow and a light wind.
He scratched the back of his head, "I suppose you are right. South of the Lost Woods? Which way are they heading now, Kaepora?" The old owl seemed about to sleep but he shook off the snow once more and answered, "Yes. They are heading due west, into Hyrule field. You can find them at the forest line, no doubt. Near Lake Hylia entrance." Already Link was looking down the balcony as though to look for a place to jump off but the canal was frozen and the snow banks not deep enough to cushion a jump.
"Link, there is no way you can jump from up here!" Zelda grabbed onto his shoulder before he could climb onto the stone guard. "Just watch me!" Link had an adventurous look in his eye once more before jumping from the ledge and reaching the top of one of the trees lined near the canal. The tops bent for a ways to the side with Link's weight. The snow on the branches fell instantly, adding large clumps to the blanket of snow below.
With ice under his hands, Link slipped the moment the bending motion stopped. The tree whipped upright once more, hurling flecks of snow and pine at the castle. "Link, you idiot! When will you learn to use a door?!" Coming from Zelda, the shout was a surprise.
Link grinned in victory and flashed a V sign to Zelda before getting up from the snow and brushing himself off. "I'll be back in no time at all!" He set a fast walk despite the snow up to his shins and started the beeline towards where Kaepora had said the group would again appear.
"Be careful . . ." Zelda said softly as she watched Link go. She had a sudden and sharp feeling of dread. Shaking it off as best she could, she invited Kaepora to warm up in the castle. When he accepted gratefully, she stole one more look to the land and the obvious trail Link was leaving before closing the door behind them.
~~~~~ (Time gap, it stopped snowing)
Far south of the castle, Lake Hylia was feeling the effects of the winter. The water was a thick sheet of ice blanketed by the new snow and glimmered in the light of the setting sun. From the entrance, a steady sound of a horse' labored breath and a series of hooves crushing the snow filled the otherwise silent air.
Kohachan reigned his ebony mount, Trasul, to a halt on the shores of the now frozen Lake Hylia. Why that place was the chosen spot, he did not know. Nonetheless, he was willed to go no further and calmly dismounted.
Taking a long look around, he saw the scarecrows miserably covered in snow as well as the Lake Laboratory also covered. It seemed that the clouds would stay for some time yet, despite the snow had stopped falling. He finally removed the black mask he had worn through the ride. The bitter cold air would have hurt his nose and throat had he not worn it. Even though his tipped ears were still painfully numb.
Taking in a deep breath, he went to a tree growing near the Lake Laboratory and sat in the snow at the base of it. Before him, still where they had come to a stop, the black mount pawed at the earth to get to the grass. Resting himself back against the tree and trying to rub a bit of life back into his arms, Kohachan closed his eyes and let his mind wander. He could feel his demon stirring. Not in malice, though. His Demon was also pondering the situation of the legend.
If Zolaris was of the darkness, then who was of the light? Not him, to be sure. He already knew that he was of wisdom. Crystal with her ability to see into the soul made her the Key of Power. Though, in this case, it was more of ability than of power.
Three others were still missing to be accounted for. Matt, Andrake, and Cait. He wanted to rule out Andrake for he was already related to one of the keys, Crystal. Cait was far too young to be one of the keys, was she not? Too young, innocent, and inexperienced. Wasn't she? No, he could not rule her out.
But what of Matt? He was old enough and nearly as mischievous as himself. He had spirit to spare, one could be sure of that. And on the islands, he had not simply sat back and let things happened for the worse. No. When he was captured, he remained calm enough to at least try and aid Crystal right then. In the face of the demon, he had shown he could walk the fine line between stupidity and courage.
The thought hit him like a physical blow that made him jump from the meditative state. Courage! That was the missing key! But if Matt was the key, then that would mean they were too close for comfort. Kaepora had said they were on their way and coming closer to Hyrule before he flew to the castle to tell Link of them. Zelda would probably try to help them further to enter the land.
But with the time of the eclipse drawing ever closer, that could not be allowed! Kohachan jumped to his feet and gave a sharp whistle, calling the drowsing Trasul to him. Mounting quickly onto the stallion's back, he was about to give it the command to make haste when another dark horse appeared. Its coat was gleaming black under the moon while under an iron face shield. At a longer look, Kohachan noticed the entire mount was armored down the neck and over the chest. Several wild locks of red mane flew from crevices in the neck armor. The heavily muscled leg pawed the earth as the Gerudo Stallion pawed the earth restlessly and curled its neck, looking every bit the war-horse it was. A red light, like a fire, burned in the beast's eyes.
Upon the saddle of the horse was a figure hidden by the dark cloak he wore about him. Leaning over the saddle to look down from the slight incline, he seemed to be of great age but that could not be, since the figure obviously could ride and well. He pulled back the cowl of the cloak to reveal silver hair. Unmistakably it was Zolaris. Yet Zolaris was certainly not himself.
Demon Kohachan knew his own kind.
The sun was set, the clouds quickly parting, and the moon was rising. It was nearly full and shone across the snow, giving it a cold, blue glow with equally cold light. Demon Zolaris grinned as the Light Moon Blade hummed angrily at his side. It knew by then that someone other than the proper wielder was bearing it. Kohachan growled in his throat at the sight.
So, he was to be stopped from stopping Matt's entry to Hyrule. Could the chosen of the Dark Moon God have read his thoughts? No, that could not have been it at all. He tightened his grip on Trasul's mane and called out to Demon Zolaris, his own voice growing thicker than before, "This in not yet your night, Dark One. Get out of my way."
Demon Zolaris shook his head lightly, "No, Key of Wisdom. I will not so easily be banished. You should know that by now." Though Kohachan was somewhat taken off guard, he stood his ground. The Sheikahn bred black horse picked up the feel of anger and pawed the ground restlessly along with the Gerudo stallion, snorting a cloud of breath in the confusion.
Kohachan soothed the mount with a touch and scoffed, "You have no say over what I will or will not do. Do not try to convince me otherwise." With that, he tightened his grip on the strong hairs of the mane and crouched slightly before digging his heels into the sides of the mount. Like a rocket, Trasul charged, kicking up snow behind him. By Kohachan's order, it went straight at the desert Gerudo bred war-horse Demon Zolaris somehow acquired.
By force of pure will and power, Demon Zolaris kept the animal in check after a close brush then laughed in his throat, "Despite your efforts, you will not have a say in the ending of this coming night." With that, Demon Zolaris wheeled his own dark mount around and took off after the Key of Wisdom. Following the runaway was no problem for the snow had all too easily painted the trail. The only factor was of speed. Demon Zolaris grinned wickedly. This was no contest at all. And hardly a challenge.
He gave the demonic horse a coarse word of command and ran the beast faster through the snow. Despite the foot deep of snow, both horses easily jumped the fences before the gate. But the chase did not last long after that. They were too easily gaining on Kohachan and his tiring mount. Unlike the nightmare, the black Gerudo mount was well-rested and far more enduring in fast sprints. He got himself ready, getting up on his feet and crouching on the Gerudo horse, coming up behind and beside Kohachan.
Taking the Light Blade into his hand, he deftly leapt from his horse to behind Kohachan. Wrapping a powerful arm about Kohachan's shoulder, he brought the blade near the Sheikah's throat only to be injured by the blade itself. The hilt nearly burned his hand before even trying to get at Kohachan's flesh.
Before letting a shout of pain, Demon Zolaris brought both himself and Kohachan to the ground, forcing the red-head under himself to take the blow of the fall. Both horses ran further before slowly turning about from the tree line to watch their owners and wait to be called.
Kohachan managed a sharp elbow into Demon Zolaris side but received a hard punch into his spine and fell into the snow again, choking up a bit of blood after the hard fall and from incredible pain of the hard blow. Demon Zolaris stood and rubbed his rib slightly before kicking Kohachan in the shoulder, turning him over.
The red-head's eyes were closed but his features were twisted slightly in pain. He pushed himself into a sitting position in the snow, leaning forward as though he had not the strength to sit up straight. His hand went to his back where he had been punched, as though to feel if anything was out of place.
Least he was not taken . . . yet.
Demon Zolaris held the Light Moon Blade once more and held it first at Kohachan's neck before raising it up, preparing to deliver the final blow. Responding to his command as it had the previous full moon night, the blade changed once more. The wing-like guards flared out from the hilt and the entire blade began to glow a bright white under the moon. The eyes of the Hydra each glittered like white diamonds. Despite not being his, it would serve his purpose to claim this key!
Kohachan managed to open one eye to see the shining blade and held up a hand to the sword. Demon Zolaris scowled at the show of courage and brought the blade to remove the offending hand.
Before the Light Moon Blade could cut into Kohachan's flesh, a bright light emanated between the hand and the sword. Again, the hilt burned Demon Zolaris' hand and he was forced to pull away. "What in the Abyss is going on?!" Demon Zolaris swore more fervently as he drove the blade into the ground and held his inured hand in pain. The blade returned to normal, no longer responding to the touch of the Demon.
Kohachan laughed mirthfully then threw his head back in a long, loud laugh. Demon Zolaris fought off the urge to lunge at the red-head and strangle the laugh from his throat, "Why are you laughing?!" He snarled in naked rage. Kohachan looked to Demon Zolaris again and showed him the hand that he had blocked the sword with.
On his middle finger rested the silver ring. The blue script was aglow more brilliantly light blue than the snow around them. "You forget, Demon Zolaris." Kohachan's voice was a great deal deeper and dangerous than before, "The Keys of the legend are all of neutral power. None are dark or light. Least of all, the one who possesses both a dark and light side." He grinned again "Besides, you cannot get past this ring you see before you or the 'trinkets' the other two have by you. Not on a night where your rival does not walk the land. They may as well be the ultimate shields if you try to take our souls."
Demon Kohachan revealed himself fully, letting the fire in his eyes blaze from a calm red to a bright gold of power and triumph. He stood as Demon Zolaris pulled the sword from the ground and stood his ready, a look of both rage and pleasure for a challenge marked in his black eyes.
He began the attack, only for his blade to meet with Demon Kohachan's katana. The katana seemed to be alight with power from the new Demon wielder. Never missing a step, Demon Zolaris brought the Light Moon Blade to slash at Demon Kohachan's right side.
Again, the blow was blocked. As expected.
He crouched in the snow ad tried a sweep kick only to be avoided once more as Demon Kohachan jumped upward higher than necessary and seemingly into the moon's light. He came down, a hand nearly at the tip of the katana and the blade aiming at Demon Zolaris. Demon Zolaris managed to get the hilt, just above his hand and used it as a shield against the katana.
At the same time his other hand full of snow after gaining a fistful from the crouch threw the snow into Demon Kohachan's eyes. Demon Kohachan landed on his feet but stumbled back more in surprise than pain yet still got the stinging cold ice into his eyes. Demon Zolaris took the chance and landed a roundhouse kick to his opponent's head, knocking him off his feet.
Demon Kohachan fell to one knee and a hand. The other leg was on the foot, ready to jump upward; the other hand held fast to the hilt of the katana, ready it deliver a judgmental blow.
He waited Demon Zolaris' next move and focused on clearing his eyes. Demon Zolaris waited a moment and measured his opponent again. Even as Demon Kohachan was in the snow, he still glared back at him through the snow- wetted tangle of hair. An almost animalistic need for victory shone in the golden eyes. It was a look that spurred Demon Zolaris to end it all that much faster.
He took the Light Moon Blade and crouched slightly on his feet. Rather than leaping upward, he charged straight for Demon Kohachan, the tip of it aimed at the fallen warrior's heart through his shoulder. If he could get around the ring . . . Demon Kohachan managed to leap above the lunge.
The assailant did not have the chance to recover his stance before his would be victim came down, leading with the longer hilt of his own katana, driving the hard wood into Demon Zolaris' spine, and bringing down the Dark Warrior.
Demon Kohachan still kept one eye tightly closed but grinned as he was fallen onto Demon Zolaris back after driving the katana hilt hard onto it, they both lay in the snow for a while. Not long after being attacked with the drop of the hilt, Demon Zolaris roared in pain and rage, struggled to gain access to a dagger. He gained Kohachan's own dagger and tried to stab at the red-head but only managed to nick his side. It was enough to bring a sharp hiss of pain and to earn him to have his arm twisted behind his back and a knee driven deeply into the area that was struck.
After a moment of being in the awkward pin and listening to muttered curses, Demon Zolaris perked an ear to an unusual sound. A sound that was all too familiar and very much welcoming to him. It was a sound opposite of the blade he held. The true Dark Moon Blade. He felt the blade coming closer and calling to him as a child would call to its mother.
He waited and withdrew for the moment. The true time to strike would make itself known soon enough. Demon Kohachan, oblivious to his opponent's scheming and the sound of the approaching Dark Moon Blade, breathed out, "A spine for a spine, I believe."
The younger Sheikah groaned out, "And mine will break completely if you do not get off of it!" Demon Kohachan blinked in surprise. The voice was not that of his opponent's but that of his friends' voice! Quickly as he could despite the wound in his side, he scrambled up from the snow bank they made in the ground before turning to help Zolaris up.
Sure enough, the color, dark though it was, was returned to the young one's eyes. Zolaris coughed a few times but no blood stained his lip. Demon Kohachan could feel his lighter side's relief but was still troubled. Something did not feel right. Demon Zolaris gave up far too easily. "Zolaris, why did your Demon withdraw?" He let himself labor for breath, as being in his own demon form was taxing him too much energy.
He sheathed the katana and looked around then in the pit for the blade Demon Zolaris had wielded. It still lay in the snow pit, almost comically set in it's own mold where Demon Zolaris held it out in a lunging form. The impression of the sword was followed by that of the arm holding it then a head before reaching the mess of two body forms toppled over each other and stained with blood. For the moment, he decided to leave the sword there and attended the new wound.
"I don't know why. I can't even remember much. Tarawen was with me in flying to the desert region then at the Gerudo Fortress."
"To get the mount", Demon Kohachan reasoned as he felt his side, wondering how deeply that "scratch" had truly gone.
Zolaris shrugged, "I guess so. But do you think Tarawen will be okay if she is still with the Gerudo? Before going into the desert area, my demon came and took control, taming that beast with his spirit then left Tarawen there before going after you. Gerudo were made up of women warriors but how would a spitfire Kitsune cope?"
Demon Kohachan nodded then kept a hand pressed hard to the small gash then filled it with snow, hoping to chill the blood and stop the flow, "She will be fine. Tarawen will fit in fine even if she decides to fight against them. Her skill will save her. Nonetheless, we should probably go to get her before she decides to join their kind."
"As though she would! She hates their style of clothing, from what you've told me!"
"That is true. But this in not the hot summer. They will dress more decently for warmth through the winter."
"Oh, true." However, when Zolaris tried to follow after Demon Kohachan to go to the mounts, he found he could not move. Rather, he felt the Demon taking control once more. Growing to panic, he tried to call out to Kohachan to warn him but his voice was muted. His last ditch effort was easily quelled and Demon Zolaris took full control once more.
Demon Kohachan was then glad he had held on as long as he did. Yet he sighed for the persistency of an enemy ultimately doomed to failure. If he was not defeated on that night, he would be killed the next night. Or so he made himself believe.
Nonetheless, anything to help bring out the end of the darkness and coming destruction would help. He drew a few kunai from under his cloak and threw then at the retreating Demon only for them to be blocked by a quick dodge by Demon Zolaris. Despite the fight and the shifting of control, he was still as fast as ever.
Demon Kohachan growled lightly and tried to go after the Warrior. Rather, he felt the pain of the wound
All the while, Demon Zolaris was growing closer to the Dark Moon Blade.
~~~~~
*Whistles* Reaching the mile marker for longest chapter up to date here. Hmm... To end it here or not to end it here? *Gets hit on the shoulder by the flat of Harukaze, swung by Shadow Knight* .o;; Owie!
Shadow Knight: No, you will not end it there. Keep going!
*Cocks an eyebrow at Shadow Knight and sees an army of readers behind him* O_O;; Okay, okay! *Gets back to work and mutters under my breath* I get to be evil to your character now . . .
~~~~~
Not far from the fight scene, Demon Zolaris took to the branches of the dense forestry. On the ground, the trunks were too close together to easily navigate through. Jumping from branch to branch, he put distance between himself and the two fighting behind him. The call of the Dark Moon Blade . . . his blade . . . was stronger than his want of a good fight.
Under the shadow of the branches above him, the forest was as dark and cold as it could be. With the young Sheikah, Zolaris, so unused to the cold, this new bitterness of the dark boughs was enough to make Demon Zolaris pause. He cursed his host's intolerance of the cold and pressed onward. He was closer. So much closer.
A sound caught his ear then. It was only a little further ahead. A shout of surprise followed by a stream of curses. The voice he remembered well. It still burned in his mind with its defiance of his will. The howl of pain was followed by first a bellow of deeper laughter then a peel of light giggles. This only served to renew a shout of fury from the injured one.
Smirking to himself, Demon Zolaris knew his old prey was just waiting there to be taken out. He sped up again, careful not to slip in the foreign trees, so unlike the jungle Zolaris was used to. Soon, the party was in sight but far below and hidden mostly by branches. That only meant that Demon Zolaris was as hidden from them as they were from him.
Matt was jumping about while waving about a red hand, possibly bleeding. Cait was half laughing her head off and half asking if he was okay. Andrake was simply doubled over with laughter. Mass hissed, "Hey! Knock it off already! How was I supposed to know that stupid thing bites?!" He pointed accusingly at the offending plant before them.
Popping up from the sheet of snow, a Deku Baba calmly clamped its jaw and licked the blood from its "lips". Decidedly, Matt took revenge. Unsheathing his staff, he spun it once over his head then jumped up and at the carnivorous plant. Holding the staff tight in both hands, he brought one end of it down and directly onto the Deku Baba's head causing the vegetables' head to be squished on the snow.
The insides of the Deku Baba were enough so that some of the things' insides speckled Matt's vest and face. He glared poison daggers at the plant and wondered where his luck had gone. He did still wear the medallion, after all. He cleaned the staff in the snow along with his bitten hand before looking back to Andrake and Cait.
Upon the first look of his face, the duo broke into a whole new riot of laughter. Matt didn't say anything. After a moment more of glaring, he went off toward a snow bank by a large tree to clean himself up, as best he could. Demon Zolaris had simply waited patiently for that exact chance to be opened to him.
As Matt just started cleaning the green veggies' blood from his face and vest, Demon Zolaris dove for Cait as her eyes here closed and tearing up from laughter. Taking the Dark Moon Blade from its sheathe strapped to her shoulder, he felt the blade's power pulse in alignment to his own power.
With the pulse, two serpentine heads came from the neck of the hilt head. These two spread out much like the wings of the Light Moon Blade's hilt. Miniature versions of the grip itself. The eyes gleamed with darkness as the mouths opened in a silent scream of fury. The detail was as exact to the scales as the Hydra hilt was. Demon Zolaris grinned maliciously and held the blade to look at each of the three heads. Even the head, which he still held, had opened its jaws as though to attack . . . or to consume.
Not pausing long enough for even the fleet Andrake to catch him, Demon Zolaris commanded the blade into a different form. Immediately, the blade responded. A shock of darkness ran up the steel of the blade, tinting it all in shadows, an almost indigo blue outlined a blade within the dark power. Matt looked up from the snow bank only to see Demon Zolaris with a black fire in his eyes bearing the shadowed blade toward him.
On reflex, he drew his sword from his back and moved to defend against the attack. The Dark Moon Blade passed through the steel of Matt's sword then clashed against the boy's chest. The phantom-like blade passed through points of Matt's ribs but not far at all past the medallion on Matt's chest.
"MAATTT!!!" Cait shrieked in fear as she saw Matt flinch from the biting cold of the dark blade and gasped in shock, nonetheless, he held strong to his blade and managed to bring the sword around slash at Demon Zolaris' own side. But Demon Zolaris nimbly jumped back, despite his confusion of what blacked his blade. With a thought, the shadows of the Dark Moon Blade formed into solid steel once more.
Nonetheless, Demon Zolaris would not be slighted his revenge against the boy. He took on the attack once more, acting before Cait's shrieking could end and before Andrake could recover himself. He dashed towards Matt again, this time kneeing the boy in the stomach. Matt doubled forward at the force but would not be taken down so easily.
To add to the confusion, Andrake was on the attack in a flash. His sword was drawn and raised to strike at an over-head thrust. One of his specialties. He came closer to Demon Zolaris only for the blade of the Dark Moon Blade to block the attack. At the close view, Andrake glanced and saw only one set of eyes of the Hydra were all glowing black, the mouths gaping at him menacingly and looking life-like enough to act on their own and bite him.
In his moment of distraction, Andrake was thrown off by the Demon. He caught himself though slid back in the snow, flaring his free arm to keep from falling. Demon Zolaris grinned again at his handiwork. Before he could move again, the shout of Matt on the attack sounded in the forest. He had kicked off of the tree where he had cleaned off at and was coming down for a powerful jump attack.
Demon Zolaris crouched only slightly and held the blade protectively above his head. Blades clashed once more but Matt was prepared. He jumped back, off of Demon Zolairs' back and into the tree again. Coiling his leg muscles on the tree trunk, he pushed off as best he could to attack the Demon again. However, he didn't have the chance to even jump.
The Demon was there. Demon Zolaris had taken up the dropped staff along with his own blade and used the butt of the staff, driving it into Matt's back and forcing him down into the snow again. Taking up the Dark Moon Blade, he commanded it to be of shadows once more. The medallion would not protect the boy from behind, after all.
He looked back at Andrake, the smirk of pleasure vanished from his lips. Andrake brought about his own blade again in another over-head thrust. This one scored deeply on Demon Zolaris unprotected left side. The staff was dropped immediately as Demon Zolaris hissed in pain. His face was twisted in rage as he turned to face off against Andrake once more. The dark Moon Blade became of steel once more.
Their blades met momentarily but Andrake parried the blow only to deliver a punch into the already injured shoulder. After that attack, he came back with his own sword and jumped back slightly to attack with a downward vertical slash. Demon Zolaris growled animalistic in rage and pain but was not so filled with anger to be blinded in battle. With a quick movement, he turned his grip over, bringing the mouth of the main head against Andrake's blade to knock it off balance. Bringing his other fist up hard, he punched the knight in the stomach.
Andrake gasped in both surprise and pain but that did not last long. Demon Zolaris followed through, bringing the elbow of the punching arm over Andrake's back, he slammed down hard again between the shoulder blades. Andrake fell to the snow yet still caught himself on his hands. Spouting a vile curse in a trade language, he reached back for a dagger in his boot. Not willing to give up either. Just as Matt would not give up.
Before he could draw the long knife, Demon Zolaris kicked him powerfully in the side. Andrake was kicked out of the snow and sent to tumble through the air and land on his other side. He did not stir.
Demon Zolaris turned his dark sight upon the young and tepid Cait as she stayed upon Diamond's back, seemingly paralyzed by fear. The Palomino snorted in warning, backing quickly away from Demon Zolaris. He demon's grin returned with a thought, "The young boy seems fond of you. Perhaps taking your life before his soul would be even more delightful a way to make him suffer." Without another word, Demon Zolaris was at the beast's side and took the girl from his back.
Diamond, as expected, shied away. Cait screamed again and tried to fight off Demon Zolaris, punching and kicking and even trying to bite. Nonetheless, he held her tightly with one arm then locked his other hand to the back of her neck.
She gasped in fear of the forceful touch before her eyes began to close and her frantic attempt to fight back became futile. Demon Zolaris set her in the snow, lifting his hand from the pressure points on her neck he had triggered. Her shouting was irritating enough.
Not taking too much care in the matter, he relieved the young girl of the sheath for the Dark Moon Blade and strapped it about his waist. Yet he was loath to sheathe the blade too soon. Carrying it with him, he glanced at Cait once more. She lay asleep in the snow. Would it be better to have the boy wake up to find his little traveling partner dead or should he be made to watch?
Demon Zolaris finally came to a decision. He would simply wake her up and let her screams awaken the boy. Then the pest of a Key would see exactly who he dealt with before he died. Grinning wider at the thought, he reaches for Cait. With a short whistle, an arrow flew and landed directly into Demon Zolaris hand, piercing it through.
He roared in the new, unexpected pain and held his hand up. Stabbing the Dark Moon Blade into the snow once more, he broke the shaft of the arrow from his palm, letting the new pain enflame his anger. Looking along the arrows' path to find who would dare attack him from afar, he did not expect what he saw. The sight was enough to surprise and intrigue some of the rage from him.
Holding the bow before her and now wrapped in a thick furred cloak, Tarawen glared hard at him. Her face remained calm but the look of fierce determination was there nonetheless. Behind her, their very tanned faces half-masked as was their tradition, a band of four Gerudo warriors held their spear-tipped staffs at the ready.
For the winter, their clothing was more complete, helping to keep their entire bodies warm against the sharpest of chill winds. Their thick coats did nothing to hide their lithe forms as well as their muscles in their arms. It was plain to see that these women fought just as well as any man. Any . . . normal man, that is.
Demon Zolaris still held his confident grin. He was no normal man. He held the heavily bleeding wound toward Tarawen even as she nocked another arrow then shouted with a snort, "Are you proud of this, Kitsune? This little hole?" He kept the grin as of its own will, the wound closed up and the bleeding stopped. "Know this, Tarawen. As long as it is my night to walk the earth, it will take more than what you have to offer in order to defeat me!"
He leapt into the trees once more, sheathing the Dark Moon Blade to free up his hand. Tarawen sent another arrow flying after him but when she looked at the Demon, she saw her long time friend, Zolaris. The arrow easily missed the intended target. "That was a warning shot, Demon. Wait until the next time we meet." She swore mildly to herself as she saw the clearing then looked to the women following her lead. "You two, get to Hyrule field as quickly as you can. Stop the fighting there and get them to safety. Mention I sent you, the fighting should stop. You others, help me with the wounded!"
Immediately, the Gerudo followed the Kitsune's commands. They did owe her, after all. Tarawen only hoped that Demon Kohachan, whom she had heard yell in anger and pain, would be able to come to reason after the fight. He should at least have sense to stop fighting if he was injured, not charge back into a fight he could not win. But then, this was Kohachan she thought about . . .
She then focused on the task at hand, looking to each of the fallen but zeroed in on Matt. He still lay face down in the snow, not moving from the base of the tree. She turned him over and felt his face. It was as cold as death. Never minding her appearance, she removed her cloak and set it round the boy before letting a gentle heat radiate from her hands and warm through the cloak to warm Matt's torso and his face but not enough to put him into shock.
One of the Gerudo looked over to the boy and noticed once more the tail and ears of the Kitsune girl. Despite the fox features, she was a fighter nonetheless. She then attended helping up the fallen young man from the snow bank he landed in. She could see he was still breathing though his breath was shallow. He was lucky to not have cracked his skull on the tree just near him. She easily hefted him, armor and all, up onto one shoulder. Making sure of her steps on the snow, she walked him to the larger horse, slinging him over the back of the young horse.
The other Gerudo, dressed in a brighter fiery colored cloak, helped the young girl from the snow before abandoning her own cloak as well to wrap the young girl into it. Other than a bruise forming on her neck, she seemed unharmed. They could not have been late to have gotten there. The scream was heard just before their arrival, not to mention the sounds previous that of a couple other fights. The screaming of that name, "Matt", was a blood-curdling one . . . She shook it off as the memory did not faze her and simply carried the small girl.
Both women looked to Tarawen again as Tarawen was lifting Matt into her arms then set him onto Epona, speaking a few words to calm the mare. "Okay. The first thing is to make sure these three stay safe. Let's get moving. We have a Demon to stop. All we have to do is hold him off until the full moon passes. Then he will be back to normal, supposedly."
The one by Andrake protested sharply, her voice was thickly accented, "But he tried to kill that boy and nearly did kill the young child before you stopped him. We cannot let him get away with that!"
"You would just let him go to take a life?!" The other added her protest.
Tarawen shook her head, "No, that Demon did not take a life. But . . . it seems he was more than ready to. That is why we have to try to stop him this night. So he doesn't succeed the next attempt!" With that, she glared at the direction the Demon had gone and took to the forestry off the ground. Had it not been for the horses, the Gerudo could have taken to the branches as well.
~~~~~
"Touchy." Demon Zolaris grinned to himself. Even he was rather surprised on how much resistance was being put up. And soon, he would have a different key before doubling back for that one. Then . . . he could go for the third. And the third wouldn't even see it coming. Like clockwork, this was. And with the Light Moon Blade . . . Not even he could fathom the power he would be granted.
Demon Zolaris set a hand to the hilt once more, as though to caress the beast at his command; the beast that was the spirit within the blade and the form of the Dark Moon God. He was glad to be rid of the ridiculous winged one, even though that beast had taken care of the Fighter from the island quite completely.
He began to muse over the abilities of his own blade as he jumped from one branch to the next, getting closer and closer to the snow-blanketed field.
The Keys needed to remain in tact but that didn't mean it needed its body for the job. Only it's soul where the gift was. The gift that made it the Key, thus his tool to power. With the Dark Moon Blade, he'd be able to gather the souls, not try to gather the people. Yes. Much more effective.
The trees were nearly at their thickest point before giving way to the odd clearing with only the hill to the north and the few scattered trees as well as a large boulder all covered in snow marked the battlegrounds. When he looked around, though, he saw no sign of Demon Kohachan, Oni Link, or Tarawen, whom he rather expected to be directly on his tail.
Shrugging to himself, he leapt down from the branches and looked across the land toward the lake. The ranch was not far away from that point. Not even a long run much less ride. But he could not feel Kohachan's demon there. Perhaps Kohachan had indeed calmed down. Or had that fool of a Sheikah gone off into the forest after him and dropped from loss of blood? The gash in his side wasn't allowed to heal up. Not as long as he had been there, fighting him.
A sudden thought drowned out that anger almost immediately. When he had left into the forest after the fight, he had left the Light Moon Blade behind and in the snow. He nearly well scrambled from the snow and half bounded to where the snow had been impressed and thrashed by two bodies. Blood had stained the snow in too many areas to pinpoint where the initial cut had taken place.
Nearly diving headlong into the snow where the imprint of the sword was, he reached in to find the cold blade. But he found nothing.
"What?!" He snarled in anger and began to dig into the snow with both hands, searching along from the tip of the imprint to where the grip had sunken in. But it was not to be found.
"Are you through cavorting about?" A calm but firm voice asked from the tree line behind him. Demon Zolaris surrendered the search for the moment and drew the Dark Moon Blade as he whipped around to see a figure cloaked in light gray. The voice was familiar but at the same time unlike what he's heard in a very long time indeed. Trying to figure it out was annoying enough and he was already beyond irritated for the missing blade.
"And who are you to ask such a thing?" The figure's face was kept well covered by the cowl but the voice answered, "I'm one whom you seem to have been waiting to meet. Yet we know each other all too well, Demon Zolaris. Can't you recognize your own opposite?"
Toloran pulled back his cowl to face the Demon. His eyes had changed. Like the moon itself, his pupils were alight in the darkness and his skin was slightly paler, matching the snow yet gave a warm light, unlike the glittery cold snow.
Finally, he revealed what had been kept in his other hand and behind his back. It was the Light Moon Blade. But it did not respond to being held by its owner as either blade had reacted to Demon Zolaris' touch. The night of the full moon was not his night to walk the earth. Yet sings of his "Demon" were apparent mainly in his eyes which held only a glimmer of Toloran's usual brown/green eyes.
He gave Demon Zolaris one last hard look then looked to the heads on the blade hilt with the gleaming black eyes. So, it was true that Demon Zolaris had been busy for some time now.
Demon Zolaris noticed the point of interest and set his hand to the hilt of the blade automatically. It was still thrumming with low power, still wanting to take a Key soul to hold. "You are too late, Light Warrior. I already have claimed this blade of mine. You will not obtain it so easily from the fool travelers."
From the tree line, the sound of a bow being nocked was heard just faintly. Demon Zolaris and Toloran both looked to the tree line to see Tarawen once more with the bow ready and with an arrow trained on Demon Zolaris. Even if she did not intend to kill him, there were ways to immobilize him. Behind her, both Gerudo were guiding the horses as quietly as they could through the forestry still. Demon Zolaris then looked to the night sky. It was beginning to get late . . . or early as the case may be.
"Seems the fun of this night is coming to a close. We will meet again, Chosen of the Light Moon God . . ." He nodded to Tarawen before holding up the Dark Moon Blade. The aura of darkness crept from the blade to envelop him completely and he vanished into it.
Tarawen released the arrow just as the Demon vanished into the darkness. The arrow went past the remaining illusion and into the wall of the plateau in the distance. Tarawen wordlessly glared at where the Demon stood before lowering her bow. Toloran sheathed the Light Moon Blade onto his back. His other blade, a sword passed down in his family, was left behind but in the safety of Impa's home.
"It's not worth it, Tarawen. Don't be angry just for that. He will get what is coming to him, you can be sure." Toloran calmly went to her side, walking gracefully despite the snow trying to hinder his steps. From the trees, the two Gerudo brought the horses out. On Epona's back, Matt lay and seemed for all the world dead, though he only remained deeply comatose.
On Diamond's back, Andrake was beginning to stir slightly but wasn't likely to gain enough strength to get back up for some time yet. Cait was still held in the arm of the senior Gerudo warrior. Epona looked about. A familiar scent was in the air. And not only the smell of blood in the air, which she was too used to. Without bidding, the young mare started off, while carrying Matt, in the direction she knew Link was.
Tarawen commanded Epona to halt with a word then looked to the two Gerudo, "How far away could your sisters have taken the one who was injured?"
"They will be taken to the desert fortress. It is not far and will be protected under little guard since the one we heard fighting was a male we know. We make an exception for the red-head Sheikah. He's proven to be a fair enough swordsman. And he should be glad of the privilege!" Tarawen couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly. The Gerudo still insisted that all men but their former king was below them.
Wait. When did Kohachan make a difference? Link had only mentioned them a little but spoke somewhat fondly of them and of their strength as women warriors. But when the subject came up, Kohachan seemed to want to change it rather quickly. She would have to have a word with him about that when this night was over.
She nodded to Toloran, "We will have to go there, then. Least until Zolaris is turned to normal again and found."
"I don't think he will be found again, Princess Tarawen." Toloran spoke her formal title before the warrior women. "He might have gone off to keep Zolaris from messing up his plans. A place where the youth can do no mischief that would work against his plan. We shouldn't need to worry about him. But if your idea is to get these three to safety to recover, then that would be for the best." Tarawen nodded, despite that she loathed the use of her title to her name.
She allowed the Gerudo to lead and stayed with Andrake to make sure the young man did not fall from the mount. They all knew that it was going to be a long trip at the rate they were going. Toloran re-assured them that Demon Zolaris would not return. He could still sense the Demon but very far away and toward Death Mountain. On the opposite side from Hyrule Field. Nonetheless, even as he muttered responses to idle questions and maintained balance for Matt, his mind was far elsewhere . . . Elsewhere and in the all too near future.
~~~~~~~
Ummm . . . my goal was to be evil to someone but why that someone was Matt . . . I don't know! @_@;; But hey . . . it could have been a lot worse. *Whistles innocently*
Sooo, what do you think will happen next? Matt is still alive but his comatose! Andrake and Cait are also finally in Hyrule though not awake to enjoy the snowy land. What a welcome to a new land, eh? And now Kohachan seems to be slightly injured and who knows what else the Gerudo are doing to him. The Light Warrior has been officially found and the keys are targeted.
*Still in hiding from the others* heh... I think one certain reviewer might hurt me. And you know who you are! *Glances back at the room* Sooo, I'll be out here. Hmm . . . before you try to hunt me down, remember, I still didn't kill the character! *Pitches a tent and wraps up into a sleeping bag* If you have any flames for a forever long chapter . . . well . . . Give them to the Sheikah and have a happy April Fools Day! *Crawls into the tent to hide out for a while*
Until next time!