~ Disclaimer ~ I don't own Zelda ^_^; Plain and simple, black and white.
But the redhead is definitely mine! *Looks around for Angle1*
Well, as she said, that was a long chapter. Lots of things have happened since then. Not all of them good. So, those with homework and evil essays served to hinder a new chapter. But hey, now I'm back again. But little celebrating this time. This'll be just a chapter to play with. Hope you understand.
Kohachan: The redhead is definitely yours?? Now I know why Link eventually ducked out of here.
*Grins* But I'm on a typing hype right now . . . *glares up at the writer's block ready to fall* But not for long.
LunaYami: We know how you feel. *Takes aim with an arrow at the writer's block* Heheh . . . wish it were this easy. Just don't push yourself this time, Shadow Girl.
=^-^= You mean no typing at three a.m. on a school night?
LunaYami: Yes! Exactly like that!
Tarawen: I agree with LunaYami on that one. Better keep a close eye on Shadow Girl, Kohachan.
Kohachan: As though I can control her?!
Tarawen: You should be able to . . .
Do I have a say in this? I'm not a puppet, you know!
Kohachan: I know. But despite your age, you act like a little kid sometimes, staying up late and sleeping in.
So? What teen doesn't do that? XP Nyah! Anyway, onto the dedications! This chapter goes out to Mithrandir ( O.O; No, wait, STOP! Ohhhhh, dear. Shadow Knight is actually a good friend of mine. Heheh . . . he can also defend himself. Prepare for fireworks, my new friend ^-^; *put on a pair of shades*).
It also goes out to Shadow Knight naturally (Heh . . .knew it wouldn't be a big prob. Heehee! We didn't need that Kronos thing around, did we? ^_^; Wait . . . *takes a closer look* Those dragon wing shields look reeaaalllyyy familiar. Say what!? You'll send any more baddies here?!? Can't we all just . . . get along?)
LunaYami: It also goes out to Dragon Killer (Don't worry! Shadow Girl doesn't plan on typing that long a chapter in this story anymore . . .) and Angle1 (Yeah, it was a long chapter, *grins* but not that long when you're hunting typo demons. Anyway, we'll see exactly what happens with Link and the three travelers in this chapter. As well as if Kohachan can behave himself or get smacked around by Tarawen *grins widely and innocently* Tarawen is in charge!)
Tarawen: *Sweatdrops* Can we get onto the chapter yet?
Kohachan: I agree with the Kitsune-Elf-Yami . . .
*Laughs* Okay, okay. Just a couple more, me thinks. Lastly but not least, this chapter goes out to the creator of the legend, Mono Chronos, (Where'd ya go??) and also to YamiLuna (Still can't leave reviews? ;_; ).
Thanks for the reviews, guys! =^-^=
Now then . . . onto the chapter!
~~~~~~~
~ Light of the Final Day ~
It was a new day and everything seemed as though the attack had never happened. The field was a blanket of snow under a rising sun. In the distance of the ranch, a rooster hailed the dawn and awoke the life of the land as the chill night was abandoned to a winter wonderland day. It was one of those dawns that Link lived for. But that dawn was an exception.
The young Hero of Time sat on the fence atop the hill overlooking the path to the lake. He had pondered through the night about the sight just below him and fought off a minor want to sleep. At the base of the hill, the snow had been ravaged by feet and bodies and many places stained red like blood. Horse hooves headed off to the desert of the Gerudo in the southwest.
Though his mind would disband the worry and focus on the resting up and try to look at the brighter things, another part of his mind nagged at him. Those marks were important. Link could feel Oni stirring about it but couldn't see the Deity's thoughts. He decided, instead, to find out what he could about last night.
He recalled, Kaepora had said that Andrake, Matt, and Cait were in Hyrule and had entered at that area. Could those marks have been from them? Then what about the blood? And there were too many sets of prints to be of his friends alone.
If they were in Hyrule, then that meant Epona was back as well. But would she answer his call? Link stood up on the fence, taking a bit to balance enough to play his ocarina and savored the sweet notes of the Ranch, Epona's Song.
After a few moments of waiting, which he spent running, sliding, then tumbling down the snowy hill, he could hear a shushing of snow and a high whinny of a young horse. Getting up from the snow, Link patted himself down and tried to get most the snow from his clothes before it could melt.
"Epona! Am I ever glad to see you!" He said as he scrambled through the snow to her side and hugged her neck. Epona nudged him affectionately in return and pawed the snow playfully but Link shook his head and patted her lean, muscled shoulder, "No, we can't play right now. You have to find the others now!" He went to her side and hopped onto her back just as she began digging through the snow back the way she had come.
Link held tightly to her mane and watched ahead as she brought him through the snow at a gallop, sending sprays of snow with every pace. Horse and rider eventually ran up from the snow and the powder seemed to stop at just a certain point. Not long after, the snow had given to hard ground once more as they neared the pass to the desert region of Gerudo Valley.
Wondering what could have happened that his friends were brought to the Warrior women, Link urged Epona faster, his mind a tangle of possibilities. After running through the pass and across the wide bridge, Link slowed Epona down again. There was no camp for the carpenters as there had been in the dark future when Ganondorf help power, but there were no guards either.
His senses tingled of trouble even as Epona stamped about restlessly. She seemed to want to continue. Giving in, Link let her go as she pleased and held on with one hand, his other hand freed up to use his shield if need be. He did not favor the thought of fighting the Gerudo especially as he was a kid again but he didn't want to be caught off-guard either.
Despite not wanting to be caught off-guard, he could not be prepared for what he saw around the bend. There were still no guards. Link's mind was taken off of his friends for awhile as he looked about and was urged to call for any of the Gerudo.
Epona dutifully trotted along the way, over the iced over pond-like area, past the stairs leading directly up to the fortress, and around the ramp of a bend to stop at the main entrance near the gate that led to the sand- stormy desert. Despite the winter, the dessert leading to the Dessert Colossus was still as stormy as ever, even if it wasn't nearly as hot and dry as usual.
Tearing his eyes from the gate, Link was still baffled to see that there were no guards out. True they didn't like the cold any more than a dessert dweller would, but they were never ones to abandon their post! Another snort from a young horse caught his attention and he looked across the plateau of the fortress yard to see a palomino pawing at the ground and sniffing the dirt.
"Hey, it's Diamond . . ." Link pointed out. Beyond the shadow of doubt, Link knew that his friends were there. It was a matter of finding them. His stomach growled in complaint of another thing to find as well. Link dismounted Epona, feeling a bit of hunger sweeping over him. Letting the mare wander as she would, he ran to the entrance of the fortress, hoping to find anything of his friends inside.
His thoughts wandered from hunger and other at the moment things to hoping his friends were not hurt or worse as he crept into the darkness of the Gerudo Fortress halls. Following a path burned into his memory from before, Link found his way to one of the larger rooms with a thick, log table, stumps of wood for seats, and a cooking fire with a large pot over it. He smiled in relief to see that at least this search brought some success.
Standing near the fire and staring the young hero down was a young but sharp-eyed Gerudo with a white and red embroidered high-top and red pantaloons leading to the pointed-toe shoes. It was the classic wears of a Gerudo in any season. Her long, red hair held hints of rich blonde to match her golden eyes and was still in the classic tied up style. Even her lips were tinted white to match her garb. Like all the other Gerudo, she was adorned with jewelry at her throat, wrists, and fingers. In her hair was a large red jewel that caught the eye.
There seemed to be something different about this Gerudo. Something about her commanded respect. Oddly enough, she reminded Tarawen of herself at a glance of character and how the Gerudo held herself.
"Hey, Kid. Where do you think you are going?" She asked him, keeping her voice firm though it remained soft. Link eyes the cooking pot yearningly for a while longer before breaking his gaze from it and answering calmly, "Have you or your sisters happen to see three strangers in Hyrule other than a Kitsune and the Sheikah? Though, the Sheikah wouldn't be complete strangers."
The young warrior nodded almost gravely, "I have seen them but am not one to tend to them. The Kitsune you speak of, she is a women like my older sisters? Tall with red fur over ears and a tail with a garb not suited for the winter any more than mine is?" She added under her breath, "And she has a knack for taking command . . ."
Link nodded eagerly, "Yeah, that's her! But, who else have you seen?"
"I have seen a young man about my age wearing armor with a deep blue cape and silver trimmings on the edges. He has a sword strapped to the side of his armor and seemed to know how to use it well enough. He didn't carry a shield. And he was not conscious when he was first brought here.
"Also there was a younger boy with a tunic and a vest over the tunic. He wielded a sword and a staff but was also knocked out upon arriving here. Lastly there was a young girl who was also knocked out but seemed unharmed. The two boys were roughed up some."
Link nodded lightly then pressed, "But were either of the guys injured to the point they would be bleeding badly?" To his dismay, the young Gerudo shook her head lightly, "I could not see about that. But there was one who was bleeding at his side. He is one of the Sheikah you were probably speaking of earlier. Though with his tunic and the dark, it could hardly be seen that his side was covered with blood. I'm rather hoping that one will pull through from his injuries."
Feeling himself become unsteady on his feet, Link thought of Kohachan being injured. He had seen that Sheikah fight and he was no amateur. Then what would it take to give him such a grievous injury?
Deciding not to jump to conclusions, he thanked the Gerudo hastily and asked where to find them. When she pointed out the way, Link wasted no time in rushing through the halls to find the fastest way to the room where the injured were kept.
~~~~~
Against the wall of the large room were three forms each laying on a futon and each carefully watched by a Gerudo healer. Tarawen supervised each of them but was also busily trying to teach them of healing herbs. What could hurt and what could heal certain injuries. Andrake, Cait, and Matt each seemed stable and only in need of bed rest. Who know how long they had gone with rationed food?
Even then there were other matters to attend. The Gerudo women kept up a fire in the room to keep the entire room warm, and even hot, enough to where Tarawen was glad to go outside. She made sure everything was sound and that the golden horse was okay. When no one was exactly free to fetch clean, cold water when needed, she would take up that excuse to cool off outside.
There was still something that nagged at her. Something had gotten lost amid all the mayhem of taking care of the other three. She could almost hear the familiar laughter in her head. Laughter at her frustration. Kohachan.
Resisting an urge to punish herself for forgetting, she went to one of the Gerudo tending to Andrake and softly inquired, "Where is the red-head Sheikah who was brought here?" She blinked in confusion for a moment then answered, "I'm not sure who you're talking about, unless you mean the only redhead Sheikah who works for the Royal Family. I've never seen him in person but my sisters have. Why? Is he supposed to be here?"
Tarawen nodded a bit and left the Gerudo be with her patient as she rinsed the cloth at his forehead and replaced it with a cooler damp cloth. Going into a light and silent trot, Tarawen progressed down the maze-like corridors trying to sense out the Sheikah. Usually it would work unless he was blocking himself. If injured, he might very well have been doing so. That Sheikah never was a very good patient.
Through one of the many darker halls, she nearly ran into a familiar green- clad boy. Or rather, the green-clad boy nearly ran into her.
"Link!"
"Tarawen!"
Both of them stated in surprise. Link apologized for the rush but asked her where the others were. She pointed him to the hall and down the ramps she had come from to which he hastily thanked her and hurried past. Shaking her head a bit, but glad to see he was okay, Tarawen continued her own jog through the hall in search of Kohachan.
It was not long until she came to the room with the young Gerudo with the cooking-fire and came to a skinning halt over the dust, "Hey, have you seen the red-haired and red-eyed Sheikah around? He should be in the fortress somewhere." She nodded and stood from prodding the fire and making it hotter. The contents of the pot were almost at a boil.
"Last I saw of him, the blood was drying on his tunic. He has a deep wound at his side. Why? Don't you know where he is?" Tarawen shook her head in answer to which the young woman pursed her lips in thought. "If you can get someone to take my place and watch the pot, I can go with you to help find him."
Tarawen considered the offer and was willed to decline it at first but then this Gerudo obviously knew Kohachan. At least a little. But if Kohachan was wounded to that degree, there was no time to find a replacement to watch the stew. "If anyone comes along who is doing nothing important, you have my permission to make them take your post and join me on the search. If Kohachan is that wounded, he will probably need help."
"Kohachan, eh? What kind of name is that? But yes ma'am." The Gerudo saluted Tarawen then. Tarawen returned the salute than continued her search, sensing out for the Sheikah once more. But was there something different about that Gerudo? She decided to store that thought to contemplate and investigate later.
~~~~~
Coming into another stiflingly warm room, Link saw many a Gerudo working about. There were at least ten stuck in the same room, three near the fires, four attending three figures on the floor, and three more were busily walking around with water bowls or firewood.
Confused from the commotion for a moment, Link blinked a bit and went mostly unnoticed along the wall to the three figures lying on the ground. The fourth Gerudo apparently not exactly looking at any one of the three in particular turned to Link, "Link, that you? Been a while since you've been here. You've met many kinds of people on your journeys. Do you by chance know of these strangers? Or the fox woman who saved 'em?"
"Yes, the Kitsune is a friend named Tarawen. She is visiting Hyrule for a while. These are my fellows. They had to come later but they did kind of come with me." Link had to wonder why it was suddenly so hard to explain.
Shaking his head a bit, Link looked to the still forms of his friends and resorted to pleading, "Please, just let me see to them. Even if you don't believe that they are my friends, you know me. I have no reason at all to cause them harm in any way." When she still paused and there was a waver in her eyes alone, Link felt a feeling of doom fall over him. "They . . . they are okay . . . aren't they?" Again she didn't answer.
Summoning strength he had only had as an adult, Link pushed past the Gerudo, threw her grabbing hands aside and fought his way past her to kneel between Andrake and Matt's cots. The women tending the two gave a startled yelp as he plowed past the guard.
Before the rest of the Gerudo in the room could go after Link, he looked closely at his friends. Time seemed to stand still as he looked over them, looking for the signs he hoped he would not find. Both still had color in their faces and their eyes were closed as though in sleep. Even their faces were calmly relaxed.
Both were also breathing and even as he watched, Cait on the far side stirred slightly but remained in sleep. They were all okay! But then, why the silent treatment when he asked? Link looked around as the Gerudo shot him evil looks and began pushing him out of the room.
Link said his apologies on the way out and started away of his own free will, hoping to find the room with the cooking fire and stew in it. Now that the worry of his friends was relieved, two other needs were known: The need for sleep and for food.
Following his nose, it was easy to find the room with the cooking stuff. To his surprise, an older Gerudo woman was watching over the pot. He shrugged to himself as soon as she smiled at him and brought forth a serving bowl. Link took his place at the table and smiled in return, feeling his mouth watering in anticipation of the food.
The Gerudo woman laughed lightly at him, "My, but aren't you a hungry one. Are you just barely returned from a journey, Link?" He grinned up at her, "No, not really. But I haven't eaten since yesterday and have been up all night." She took on a surprised look then urged him on, "Then don't let me keep you up. Go ahead and enjoy."
He took the spoon of the soup up then paused. Something was still nagging at him, possibly from Oni. "When did you get here, though? I can by just earlier and another Gerudo was here watching the cooking pot."
"The only one here before was the one who summoned me to take care of the food. She was the Great Nabooru. I think she was waiting here for someone. But I am not one to question her will."
Link nearly dropped the spoon but his fingers would not release the wooden utensil. The Sage of Spirit was the one who was here before? It struck him like a lightning bolt. Of course it was! That was a younger Nabooru!
But why didn't he recognize her then? His stomach gave a low and long grumble and he knew that was why. He was too distracted to notice. And it might have been her intention for him not to find her out and question her. But why was she being so mysterious all of a sudden?
More questions! Link threw them aside and began to eat the stew with gusto, letting Oni deal with juggling the questions and how they managed to connect.
~~~~~
Outside of the fortress, the day was just reaching mid morning. Daylight poured over the peaks of the horseback archery grounds yet failed to distract the swordsman at rest there.
To any from a distance, the redhead was simply sleeping with his katana leaning against his shoulder and his head bowed till his chin touched his chest. A black stallion stood nearby, sniffing around for any sign of grass but finding none.
At a closer glance, one could see that the eyes of the swordsman were very well open but gleaming golden under the sun. Fatigue and strain was apparent on his face but he remained in deep thought, stewing over something. He knew he should be enjoying the dawn and the warmth it brought, since it was the light of the final day, but he simply could not let himself relax.
His tunic was clinging to his injury like a bandage but didn't nearly pass for a bandage. Getting it off was going to be painful, to say the least. But he didn't care. What was important was finding a way . . . any way . . . to keep the next night from falling into the hands of either the Light Warrior or the Dark One. But how? Demon Kohachan heaved a sigh, felt his side and back flare with pain, and shoved aside that pain.
He neither noticed nor cared about the figure nearby. His mind was focused on only one thing and everything around him was lost in a fog to his weary mind. Besides, the figure soon left, so why did it matter?
Unfortunately, he was soon disturbed as a strikingly aura was felt near him and a shadow with two triangle ears fell near him. Demon Kohachan growled in his throat for being disturbed and looked up at Tarawen. Despite the sun behind her hid her face in shadow, he could feel her very irritation in him. He snorted, knowing the feeling all too well and lowered his eyes again.
"Demon? Why are you still out? Why aren't you letting Kohachan get some well-needed rest? And yourself as well, for that matter." Tarawen knelt beside him, silently thanking the Gerudo for telling him where to find the red-head and that he seemed to be somewhat okay at least. It was no longer a mystery of why she couldn't find him. She was still not completely familiar with his demon side and was certainly not expecting him to still be a Demon.
The rumor was correct, though. His side did need tending to. And who knew what other injuries he held on him? Yet it was still a question of if even she could break through his stubbornness with her own without hurting him any more than necessary.
As she expected, he did not answer. Tarawen gently poked his injured side and saw him flinch away from the touch. His tunic was turned hard from dried blood. "Demon Kohachan, you need to rest." When she was again ignored, she began summoning words into her mind. If he was so badly off- guard and unfocussed, then he would not be able to fight her sleeping spell.
Before she could chant the spell, Demon Kohachan caught her wrist firmly yet managed to be gentle. Tarawen looked to him in surprise, looking at him with an unspoken question. He met her gaze, "There will be no need for that. This is no time to be stubborn." These words caught Tarawen's attention even more sharply.
Demon Kohachan relaxed a bit, let her go, and stood up slowly but surely. "I was only thinking of the coming night. Many things are going to happen. Many may very well die. As far as I know, both Toloran and Zolaris will lose their lives to the legend. Possibly, so will the three keys. Demon Zolaris took off but no one knows where to. Not even I know. What is certain is that he is getting ready for tonight."
"Demon Kohachan . . . you can't worry about that right now. You are hurt and in that way are not helping anyone." Tarawen took up her best stern voice without a waver yet knew her friend knew her better. Kohachan would have been able to see through her. His words had shaken her if only slightly. Still, she persisted calmly, "Come on. Before you catch an illness from the cold. Your wounds need proper treatment."
Demon Kohachan didn't move. His eyes were hazed with a black tint over the gold as he added with a mirthless laugh, "Perhaps catching and illness and dying is the only way to stop the legend from coming about." Tarawen shot him a glare, no longer feeling her own doubt. She would not let him think much less say things such as that.
He stopped her protest with his own look, "Stop worrying about any one person. Don't you get it? The end of this coming night will reflect what happens all over the world. Not just Hyrule, not just us and those who are directly involved, it will change the entire world as we know it."
"I know that, Demon Kohachan. But in order to help keep anything regretful from happening, we need you in good health and rested up so you can actually think clearly. You are not helping anyone like this." She kept her tone level and her eyes on his. Demon Kohachan shifted on his feet and tried to think of a comeback but his mind failed him.
He snorted in frustration then called gently for Trasul. Tarawen kept her eyes on him as he managed to mount the black horse despite his wounds. He didn't even flinch from them. She could even hear the stiffened fabric of his tunic pulling away from his side forcefully.
He looked down to her again, "Well, are you leading the way or should I? All that I need is a Fairy Fountain. Come on. Trasul can carry us both or you can try your luck in the snow." Tarawen couldn't help from feeling suspicious. She chose to follow him.
~~~~~
With an empty bowl and a satisfied stomach, Link leaned back lightly in his chair and grinned again. Everything was right in the world. Well, except for one thing. He looked to his gracious hostess as she kept watching him as well and serving anyone else whom wanted a fast meal.
Another Gerudo entered the room, then. She was young but carried herself with pride. Her garb was unmistakable as well as the jewel adorning her red and golden hair. The serving woman bowed deeply as Nabooru entered and nodded to her before taking a seat across from Link, "Now you know, kid. And I believe it is my turn to ask questions. First off, how exactly did you meet with those strangers?"
Link shrugged a bit, "They helped me when I needed it. Or were friends of those who helped me. But we are a bit of a group now."
She nodded carefully as she rested her head on her hands, "And why did you bring them here? Seems that very fact has brought about much of the problems we will have to face this coming night."
Link looked at her a bit more, fighting off his fatigue with curiosity. "But how did you know . . ." He was cut off by her hand then directed to follow through with answering her question first. Link sighed and settled down to tell his long story.
~~~~~
Across the snow-blanketed Hyrule, the two riders had found a hidden cave. Tarawen stood calmly and looked at the walls of the odd cave. She could not make out other than by magic as to how the cave could have been formed.
What seemed to be water sparkled and flowed down pitch-black, stone-like walls. In the center of the cave there were six large pillars of marble each on the edge of a large circle of stone and apparently held up the ceiling itself. At the bottom and in the middle of the marble pillars was a large pool of what could have been water but sparkled and flowed almost like liquid diamonds.
Dancing over the top of the water and floating about flitting as they would was a group of small, pink fairies. The entire cave seemed to be filled with the music of their child-like laughter as they continued to play, oblivious of the two in their home.
Demon Kohachan seemed un-impressed with the cave as he loosened his belt. Tarawen shot him a glance at the movement. Demon Kohachan noted the glance and grinned less than pleasantly, "Calm down. You can see how the fairies heal if you can actually see the injuries form together and fade away. It's only to satisfy you that I'm okay afterwards." She nodded as he gritted his teeth and peeled off the soiled tunic.
She noticed another wound on his back. A large bruise turned black and blue with red in the very center of it. At his side was the same gash that had bled so much. At the movement of riding and there with taking off the tunic, the wound had re-opened once more. Tarawen began to talk, hoping to get her mind off of the situation with his wounds.
"What happened out there, Kohachan? You fought the Shadow Fighters, you've fought many foes before with success . . . but you were brought down this time. Is Demon Zolaris that strong?"
"Yes." Kohachan took his first step into the water, "There is only one to match him. Only one to match the Dark One and surpass him. That is the Light One. Even then, after the legend and if one of them does triumph, he would be named the Moon God Knight. Then . . . there is only one combined force to defeat him. How that kind of power can be gathered remains a mystery, however."
"What combined force is that? I have my suspicions but tell me outright." Tarawen demanded mildly.
"The Goddesses. Well, the Goddesses and one other. There is almost always one to wield the power such beings can create. No one person can demand such power, it can only be blessed. And no God or Deity or Demon can release his or her power directly. Thus why there are hosts such as myself. Even then, the Gods of the moon chose to direct their powers through the blades of two Demons." He waded a bit more, looking closely at the fairies and mentally asking for their aid.
"Okay . . . how exactly do you know about all of this? You are the key of Wisdom but did you have a dream to know all of this?"
Kohachan held his hand to one of the fairies as she considered him and answered, "No . . . that is even harder to explain. I just think of the question and the answer comes to me. That's the only way it can be explained." He smiled as the fairy began flying around him. He felt the aches in his entire body beginning to leave him as the fairy's light covered and healed him.
Watching the bruise on his back as well as the stains of blood and the gash each close up, Tarawen nodded in approval, "Okay, but do you think you will be able to think a better way around the legend? Such as where to find the combined power? Or how to free the Demons of the Moon God's grip?" Somehow, freeing Demons did not appeal to Tarawen but for right then, it was the proper thing to hope for.
Kohachan shook his head and started back toward Tarawen before another fairy could use her power up on him. "I can only do what I can do. I can only call on some answers, not all. But at later times, the answers will come. It is almost to say when the student is ready, the teacher arrives." He gladly accepted the cloak Tarawen had carried from the Gerudo grounds. "Just don't worry. The answers will come. Only worry if the answers are kept from being voiced when they are needed.
Tarawen nodded her agreement then shifted into her tiny fox form and followed after him away from the magic fountain. She was not settled about the legend any more. But she could hope that Kohachan didn't get any ideas of death. Death was never the answer.
She jumped up to his shoulder as he knelt to pick up his bloodied and torn tunic and held the fur cloak tighter around himself. She only hoped that everyone would be okay when it was all said and done. At the very least, everyone could finally get a well-deserved rest before nightfall.
~~~~~
After the long story, Link took a deep drink from the offered cup of milk. The drink soothed his throat pleasantly while Nabooru thought through everything that he had told her. "Well, Link, you certainly seem to be one blessed to be involved with many legends but cursed to endure many hard times." Link nodded wearily. His head was getting heavier with each passing moment and the effort to keep his eyes open was growing greater.
Nabooru smiled a bit to see him so tired. He did deserve a rest after all he had gone through and to rest up before going through his final night of yet another legend. "We can hope that the light side of this legend will win. But then, there must always be a balance. If that is true, then neither side will win. Both will run out of time and the balance will continue. Yet you are still willing to fight to make sure that the more active warrior does not get through with his want for victory?"
Link's head bobbed with a nod before resting on the table, finally becoming too heavy to sit up with. Nabooru laughed in her throat and indicated her close friend to help Link up and to a place where he could sleep in peace. "I certainly hope you do get him, kid. That dolt stole the Gerudo Stallion, after all. But until then, the other sages and I have business to discuss."
She watched as Link was helped out of the room then began her own journey back to the castle once more. Things were heating up even more so than Zelda had predicted. There was much to discuss and very little time to discuss it in. The final day was high upon them and the final night was nothing to take lightly.
The two left the room and their steps were out of ear shot soon enough. Nabooru focused on the castle and felt the winds of the desert surround her and her spirit began to fly taking her body with it.
~~~~~
WAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Still more chapters to write after this one!! *Has gone completely, utterly, and unquestionably insane*
Kohachan: *looks at the time* Oro? X_X; No flippin wonder! *Shakes Shadow Girl* It's past three in the morning! What were you thinking?!?
*Blinks while being shaken* I was thinking I want to update tonight! =^-^=
Kohachan: *Sweatdrops and lets her go, going off into a series of muttered curses*
Heheheheh! Anyway, seems once a person writes a long chapter, there is no getting out of semi long chapters. Sorry for being late with this one, everyone! But hold in there. The moment you've been waiting for is coming quickly enough. Better yet, I get to start on the next chapter right away! . . . and after a nice, long sleep!
But now we must wonder, what do the sages have planned? Will Demon Zolaris show up again before nightfall and catch our friends off guard? What happened to having Crystal in the spotlight? Answers to these and more are coming in the next chapter! But now this chapter is said and heard!
Soooo . . . GOOD NIGHT WORLD!
Kohachan: Sure sign of her insanity, bad attempts at rhymes, babbling, making little sense, and stalling everything as long as possible.
Yep yep!
Until next time!
Well, as she said, that was a long chapter. Lots of things have happened since then. Not all of them good. So, those with homework and evil essays served to hinder a new chapter. But hey, now I'm back again. But little celebrating this time. This'll be just a chapter to play with. Hope you understand.
Kohachan: The redhead is definitely yours?? Now I know why Link eventually ducked out of here.
*Grins* But I'm on a typing hype right now . . . *glares up at the writer's block ready to fall* But not for long.
LunaYami: We know how you feel. *Takes aim with an arrow at the writer's block* Heheh . . . wish it were this easy. Just don't push yourself this time, Shadow Girl.
=^-^= You mean no typing at three a.m. on a school night?
LunaYami: Yes! Exactly like that!
Tarawen: I agree with LunaYami on that one. Better keep a close eye on Shadow Girl, Kohachan.
Kohachan: As though I can control her?!
Tarawen: You should be able to . . .
Do I have a say in this? I'm not a puppet, you know!
Kohachan: I know. But despite your age, you act like a little kid sometimes, staying up late and sleeping in.
So? What teen doesn't do that? XP Nyah! Anyway, onto the dedications! This chapter goes out to Mithrandir ( O.O; No, wait, STOP! Ohhhhh, dear. Shadow Knight is actually a good friend of mine. Heheh . . . he can also defend himself. Prepare for fireworks, my new friend ^-^; *put on a pair of shades*).
It also goes out to Shadow Knight naturally (Heh . . .knew it wouldn't be a big prob. Heehee! We didn't need that Kronos thing around, did we? ^_^; Wait . . . *takes a closer look* Those dragon wing shields look reeaaalllyyy familiar. Say what!? You'll send any more baddies here?!? Can't we all just . . . get along?)
LunaYami: It also goes out to Dragon Killer (Don't worry! Shadow Girl doesn't plan on typing that long a chapter in this story anymore . . .) and Angle1 (Yeah, it was a long chapter, *grins* but not that long when you're hunting typo demons. Anyway, we'll see exactly what happens with Link and the three travelers in this chapter. As well as if Kohachan can behave himself or get smacked around by Tarawen *grins widely and innocently* Tarawen is in charge!)
Tarawen: *Sweatdrops* Can we get onto the chapter yet?
Kohachan: I agree with the Kitsune-Elf-Yami . . .
*Laughs* Okay, okay. Just a couple more, me thinks. Lastly but not least, this chapter goes out to the creator of the legend, Mono Chronos, (Where'd ya go??) and also to YamiLuna (Still can't leave reviews? ;_; ).
Thanks for the reviews, guys! =^-^=
Now then . . . onto the chapter!
~~~~~~~
~ Light of the Final Day ~
It was a new day and everything seemed as though the attack had never happened. The field was a blanket of snow under a rising sun. In the distance of the ranch, a rooster hailed the dawn and awoke the life of the land as the chill night was abandoned to a winter wonderland day. It was one of those dawns that Link lived for. But that dawn was an exception.
The young Hero of Time sat on the fence atop the hill overlooking the path to the lake. He had pondered through the night about the sight just below him and fought off a minor want to sleep. At the base of the hill, the snow had been ravaged by feet and bodies and many places stained red like blood. Horse hooves headed off to the desert of the Gerudo in the southwest.
Though his mind would disband the worry and focus on the resting up and try to look at the brighter things, another part of his mind nagged at him. Those marks were important. Link could feel Oni stirring about it but couldn't see the Deity's thoughts. He decided, instead, to find out what he could about last night.
He recalled, Kaepora had said that Andrake, Matt, and Cait were in Hyrule and had entered at that area. Could those marks have been from them? Then what about the blood? And there were too many sets of prints to be of his friends alone.
If they were in Hyrule, then that meant Epona was back as well. But would she answer his call? Link stood up on the fence, taking a bit to balance enough to play his ocarina and savored the sweet notes of the Ranch, Epona's Song.
After a few moments of waiting, which he spent running, sliding, then tumbling down the snowy hill, he could hear a shushing of snow and a high whinny of a young horse. Getting up from the snow, Link patted himself down and tried to get most the snow from his clothes before it could melt.
"Epona! Am I ever glad to see you!" He said as he scrambled through the snow to her side and hugged her neck. Epona nudged him affectionately in return and pawed the snow playfully but Link shook his head and patted her lean, muscled shoulder, "No, we can't play right now. You have to find the others now!" He went to her side and hopped onto her back just as she began digging through the snow back the way she had come.
Link held tightly to her mane and watched ahead as she brought him through the snow at a gallop, sending sprays of snow with every pace. Horse and rider eventually ran up from the snow and the powder seemed to stop at just a certain point. Not long after, the snow had given to hard ground once more as they neared the pass to the desert region of Gerudo Valley.
Wondering what could have happened that his friends were brought to the Warrior women, Link urged Epona faster, his mind a tangle of possibilities. After running through the pass and across the wide bridge, Link slowed Epona down again. There was no camp for the carpenters as there had been in the dark future when Ganondorf help power, but there were no guards either.
His senses tingled of trouble even as Epona stamped about restlessly. She seemed to want to continue. Giving in, Link let her go as she pleased and held on with one hand, his other hand freed up to use his shield if need be. He did not favor the thought of fighting the Gerudo especially as he was a kid again but he didn't want to be caught off-guard either.
Despite not wanting to be caught off-guard, he could not be prepared for what he saw around the bend. There were still no guards. Link's mind was taken off of his friends for awhile as he looked about and was urged to call for any of the Gerudo.
Epona dutifully trotted along the way, over the iced over pond-like area, past the stairs leading directly up to the fortress, and around the ramp of a bend to stop at the main entrance near the gate that led to the sand- stormy desert. Despite the winter, the dessert leading to the Dessert Colossus was still as stormy as ever, even if it wasn't nearly as hot and dry as usual.
Tearing his eyes from the gate, Link was still baffled to see that there were no guards out. True they didn't like the cold any more than a dessert dweller would, but they were never ones to abandon their post! Another snort from a young horse caught his attention and he looked across the plateau of the fortress yard to see a palomino pawing at the ground and sniffing the dirt.
"Hey, it's Diamond . . ." Link pointed out. Beyond the shadow of doubt, Link knew that his friends were there. It was a matter of finding them. His stomach growled in complaint of another thing to find as well. Link dismounted Epona, feeling a bit of hunger sweeping over him. Letting the mare wander as she would, he ran to the entrance of the fortress, hoping to find anything of his friends inside.
His thoughts wandered from hunger and other at the moment things to hoping his friends were not hurt or worse as he crept into the darkness of the Gerudo Fortress halls. Following a path burned into his memory from before, Link found his way to one of the larger rooms with a thick, log table, stumps of wood for seats, and a cooking fire with a large pot over it. He smiled in relief to see that at least this search brought some success.
Standing near the fire and staring the young hero down was a young but sharp-eyed Gerudo with a white and red embroidered high-top and red pantaloons leading to the pointed-toe shoes. It was the classic wears of a Gerudo in any season. Her long, red hair held hints of rich blonde to match her golden eyes and was still in the classic tied up style. Even her lips were tinted white to match her garb. Like all the other Gerudo, she was adorned with jewelry at her throat, wrists, and fingers. In her hair was a large red jewel that caught the eye.
There seemed to be something different about this Gerudo. Something about her commanded respect. Oddly enough, she reminded Tarawen of herself at a glance of character and how the Gerudo held herself.
"Hey, Kid. Where do you think you are going?" She asked him, keeping her voice firm though it remained soft. Link eyes the cooking pot yearningly for a while longer before breaking his gaze from it and answering calmly, "Have you or your sisters happen to see three strangers in Hyrule other than a Kitsune and the Sheikah? Though, the Sheikah wouldn't be complete strangers."
The young warrior nodded almost gravely, "I have seen them but am not one to tend to them. The Kitsune you speak of, she is a women like my older sisters? Tall with red fur over ears and a tail with a garb not suited for the winter any more than mine is?" She added under her breath, "And she has a knack for taking command . . ."
Link nodded eagerly, "Yeah, that's her! But, who else have you seen?"
"I have seen a young man about my age wearing armor with a deep blue cape and silver trimmings on the edges. He has a sword strapped to the side of his armor and seemed to know how to use it well enough. He didn't carry a shield. And he was not conscious when he was first brought here.
"Also there was a younger boy with a tunic and a vest over the tunic. He wielded a sword and a staff but was also knocked out upon arriving here. Lastly there was a young girl who was also knocked out but seemed unharmed. The two boys were roughed up some."
Link nodded lightly then pressed, "But were either of the guys injured to the point they would be bleeding badly?" To his dismay, the young Gerudo shook her head lightly, "I could not see about that. But there was one who was bleeding at his side. He is one of the Sheikah you were probably speaking of earlier. Though with his tunic and the dark, it could hardly be seen that his side was covered with blood. I'm rather hoping that one will pull through from his injuries."
Feeling himself become unsteady on his feet, Link thought of Kohachan being injured. He had seen that Sheikah fight and he was no amateur. Then what would it take to give him such a grievous injury?
Deciding not to jump to conclusions, he thanked the Gerudo hastily and asked where to find them. When she pointed out the way, Link wasted no time in rushing through the halls to find the fastest way to the room where the injured were kept.
~~~~~
Against the wall of the large room were three forms each laying on a futon and each carefully watched by a Gerudo healer. Tarawen supervised each of them but was also busily trying to teach them of healing herbs. What could hurt and what could heal certain injuries. Andrake, Cait, and Matt each seemed stable and only in need of bed rest. Who know how long they had gone with rationed food?
Even then there were other matters to attend. The Gerudo women kept up a fire in the room to keep the entire room warm, and even hot, enough to where Tarawen was glad to go outside. She made sure everything was sound and that the golden horse was okay. When no one was exactly free to fetch clean, cold water when needed, she would take up that excuse to cool off outside.
There was still something that nagged at her. Something had gotten lost amid all the mayhem of taking care of the other three. She could almost hear the familiar laughter in her head. Laughter at her frustration. Kohachan.
Resisting an urge to punish herself for forgetting, she went to one of the Gerudo tending to Andrake and softly inquired, "Where is the red-head Sheikah who was brought here?" She blinked in confusion for a moment then answered, "I'm not sure who you're talking about, unless you mean the only redhead Sheikah who works for the Royal Family. I've never seen him in person but my sisters have. Why? Is he supposed to be here?"
Tarawen nodded a bit and left the Gerudo be with her patient as she rinsed the cloth at his forehead and replaced it with a cooler damp cloth. Going into a light and silent trot, Tarawen progressed down the maze-like corridors trying to sense out the Sheikah. Usually it would work unless he was blocking himself. If injured, he might very well have been doing so. That Sheikah never was a very good patient.
Through one of the many darker halls, she nearly ran into a familiar green- clad boy. Or rather, the green-clad boy nearly ran into her.
"Link!"
"Tarawen!"
Both of them stated in surprise. Link apologized for the rush but asked her where the others were. She pointed him to the hall and down the ramps she had come from to which he hastily thanked her and hurried past. Shaking her head a bit, but glad to see he was okay, Tarawen continued her own jog through the hall in search of Kohachan.
It was not long until she came to the room with the young Gerudo with the cooking-fire and came to a skinning halt over the dust, "Hey, have you seen the red-haired and red-eyed Sheikah around? He should be in the fortress somewhere." She nodded and stood from prodding the fire and making it hotter. The contents of the pot were almost at a boil.
"Last I saw of him, the blood was drying on his tunic. He has a deep wound at his side. Why? Don't you know where he is?" Tarawen shook her head in answer to which the young woman pursed her lips in thought. "If you can get someone to take my place and watch the pot, I can go with you to help find him."
Tarawen considered the offer and was willed to decline it at first but then this Gerudo obviously knew Kohachan. At least a little. But if Kohachan was wounded to that degree, there was no time to find a replacement to watch the stew. "If anyone comes along who is doing nothing important, you have my permission to make them take your post and join me on the search. If Kohachan is that wounded, he will probably need help."
"Kohachan, eh? What kind of name is that? But yes ma'am." The Gerudo saluted Tarawen then. Tarawen returned the salute than continued her search, sensing out for the Sheikah once more. But was there something different about that Gerudo? She decided to store that thought to contemplate and investigate later.
~~~~~
Coming into another stiflingly warm room, Link saw many a Gerudo working about. There were at least ten stuck in the same room, three near the fires, four attending three figures on the floor, and three more were busily walking around with water bowls or firewood.
Confused from the commotion for a moment, Link blinked a bit and went mostly unnoticed along the wall to the three figures lying on the ground. The fourth Gerudo apparently not exactly looking at any one of the three in particular turned to Link, "Link, that you? Been a while since you've been here. You've met many kinds of people on your journeys. Do you by chance know of these strangers? Or the fox woman who saved 'em?"
"Yes, the Kitsune is a friend named Tarawen. She is visiting Hyrule for a while. These are my fellows. They had to come later but they did kind of come with me." Link had to wonder why it was suddenly so hard to explain.
Shaking his head a bit, Link looked to the still forms of his friends and resorted to pleading, "Please, just let me see to them. Even if you don't believe that they are my friends, you know me. I have no reason at all to cause them harm in any way." When she still paused and there was a waver in her eyes alone, Link felt a feeling of doom fall over him. "They . . . they are okay . . . aren't they?" Again she didn't answer.
Summoning strength he had only had as an adult, Link pushed past the Gerudo, threw her grabbing hands aside and fought his way past her to kneel between Andrake and Matt's cots. The women tending the two gave a startled yelp as he plowed past the guard.
Before the rest of the Gerudo in the room could go after Link, he looked closely at his friends. Time seemed to stand still as he looked over them, looking for the signs he hoped he would not find. Both still had color in their faces and their eyes were closed as though in sleep. Even their faces were calmly relaxed.
Both were also breathing and even as he watched, Cait on the far side stirred slightly but remained in sleep. They were all okay! But then, why the silent treatment when he asked? Link looked around as the Gerudo shot him evil looks and began pushing him out of the room.
Link said his apologies on the way out and started away of his own free will, hoping to find the room with the cooking fire and stew in it. Now that the worry of his friends was relieved, two other needs were known: The need for sleep and for food.
Following his nose, it was easy to find the room with the cooking stuff. To his surprise, an older Gerudo woman was watching over the pot. He shrugged to himself as soon as she smiled at him and brought forth a serving bowl. Link took his place at the table and smiled in return, feeling his mouth watering in anticipation of the food.
The Gerudo woman laughed lightly at him, "My, but aren't you a hungry one. Are you just barely returned from a journey, Link?" He grinned up at her, "No, not really. But I haven't eaten since yesterday and have been up all night." She took on a surprised look then urged him on, "Then don't let me keep you up. Go ahead and enjoy."
He took the spoon of the soup up then paused. Something was still nagging at him, possibly from Oni. "When did you get here, though? I can by just earlier and another Gerudo was here watching the cooking pot."
"The only one here before was the one who summoned me to take care of the food. She was the Great Nabooru. I think she was waiting here for someone. But I am not one to question her will."
Link nearly dropped the spoon but his fingers would not release the wooden utensil. The Sage of Spirit was the one who was here before? It struck him like a lightning bolt. Of course it was! That was a younger Nabooru!
But why didn't he recognize her then? His stomach gave a low and long grumble and he knew that was why. He was too distracted to notice. And it might have been her intention for him not to find her out and question her. But why was she being so mysterious all of a sudden?
More questions! Link threw them aside and began to eat the stew with gusto, letting Oni deal with juggling the questions and how they managed to connect.
~~~~~
Outside of the fortress, the day was just reaching mid morning. Daylight poured over the peaks of the horseback archery grounds yet failed to distract the swordsman at rest there.
To any from a distance, the redhead was simply sleeping with his katana leaning against his shoulder and his head bowed till his chin touched his chest. A black stallion stood nearby, sniffing around for any sign of grass but finding none.
At a closer glance, one could see that the eyes of the swordsman were very well open but gleaming golden under the sun. Fatigue and strain was apparent on his face but he remained in deep thought, stewing over something. He knew he should be enjoying the dawn and the warmth it brought, since it was the light of the final day, but he simply could not let himself relax.
His tunic was clinging to his injury like a bandage but didn't nearly pass for a bandage. Getting it off was going to be painful, to say the least. But he didn't care. What was important was finding a way . . . any way . . . to keep the next night from falling into the hands of either the Light Warrior or the Dark One. But how? Demon Kohachan heaved a sigh, felt his side and back flare with pain, and shoved aside that pain.
He neither noticed nor cared about the figure nearby. His mind was focused on only one thing and everything around him was lost in a fog to his weary mind. Besides, the figure soon left, so why did it matter?
Unfortunately, he was soon disturbed as a strikingly aura was felt near him and a shadow with two triangle ears fell near him. Demon Kohachan growled in his throat for being disturbed and looked up at Tarawen. Despite the sun behind her hid her face in shadow, he could feel her very irritation in him. He snorted, knowing the feeling all too well and lowered his eyes again.
"Demon? Why are you still out? Why aren't you letting Kohachan get some well-needed rest? And yourself as well, for that matter." Tarawen knelt beside him, silently thanking the Gerudo for telling him where to find the red-head and that he seemed to be somewhat okay at least. It was no longer a mystery of why she couldn't find him. She was still not completely familiar with his demon side and was certainly not expecting him to still be a Demon.
The rumor was correct, though. His side did need tending to. And who knew what other injuries he held on him? Yet it was still a question of if even she could break through his stubbornness with her own without hurting him any more than necessary.
As she expected, he did not answer. Tarawen gently poked his injured side and saw him flinch away from the touch. His tunic was turned hard from dried blood. "Demon Kohachan, you need to rest." When she was again ignored, she began summoning words into her mind. If he was so badly off- guard and unfocussed, then he would not be able to fight her sleeping spell.
Before she could chant the spell, Demon Kohachan caught her wrist firmly yet managed to be gentle. Tarawen looked to him in surprise, looking at him with an unspoken question. He met her gaze, "There will be no need for that. This is no time to be stubborn." These words caught Tarawen's attention even more sharply.
Demon Kohachan relaxed a bit, let her go, and stood up slowly but surely. "I was only thinking of the coming night. Many things are going to happen. Many may very well die. As far as I know, both Toloran and Zolaris will lose their lives to the legend. Possibly, so will the three keys. Demon Zolaris took off but no one knows where to. Not even I know. What is certain is that he is getting ready for tonight."
"Demon Kohachan . . . you can't worry about that right now. You are hurt and in that way are not helping anyone." Tarawen took up her best stern voice without a waver yet knew her friend knew her better. Kohachan would have been able to see through her. His words had shaken her if only slightly. Still, she persisted calmly, "Come on. Before you catch an illness from the cold. Your wounds need proper treatment."
Demon Kohachan didn't move. His eyes were hazed with a black tint over the gold as he added with a mirthless laugh, "Perhaps catching and illness and dying is the only way to stop the legend from coming about." Tarawen shot him a glare, no longer feeling her own doubt. She would not let him think much less say things such as that.
He stopped her protest with his own look, "Stop worrying about any one person. Don't you get it? The end of this coming night will reflect what happens all over the world. Not just Hyrule, not just us and those who are directly involved, it will change the entire world as we know it."
"I know that, Demon Kohachan. But in order to help keep anything regretful from happening, we need you in good health and rested up so you can actually think clearly. You are not helping anyone like this." She kept her tone level and her eyes on his. Demon Kohachan shifted on his feet and tried to think of a comeback but his mind failed him.
He snorted in frustration then called gently for Trasul. Tarawen kept her eyes on him as he managed to mount the black horse despite his wounds. He didn't even flinch from them. She could even hear the stiffened fabric of his tunic pulling away from his side forcefully.
He looked down to her again, "Well, are you leading the way or should I? All that I need is a Fairy Fountain. Come on. Trasul can carry us both or you can try your luck in the snow." Tarawen couldn't help from feeling suspicious. She chose to follow him.
~~~~~
With an empty bowl and a satisfied stomach, Link leaned back lightly in his chair and grinned again. Everything was right in the world. Well, except for one thing. He looked to his gracious hostess as she kept watching him as well and serving anyone else whom wanted a fast meal.
Another Gerudo entered the room, then. She was young but carried herself with pride. Her garb was unmistakable as well as the jewel adorning her red and golden hair. The serving woman bowed deeply as Nabooru entered and nodded to her before taking a seat across from Link, "Now you know, kid. And I believe it is my turn to ask questions. First off, how exactly did you meet with those strangers?"
Link shrugged a bit, "They helped me when I needed it. Or were friends of those who helped me. But we are a bit of a group now."
She nodded carefully as she rested her head on her hands, "And why did you bring them here? Seems that very fact has brought about much of the problems we will have to face this coming night."
Link looked at her a bit more, fighting off his fatigue with curiosity. "But how did you know . . ." He was cut off by her hand then directed to follow through with answering her question first. Link sighed and settled down to tell his long story.
~~~~~
Across the snow-blanketed Hyrule, the two riders had found a hidden cave. Tarawen stood calmly and looked at the walls of the odd cave. She could not make out other than by magic as to how the cave could have been formed.
What seemed to be water sparkled and flowed down pitch-black, stone-like walls. In the center of the cave there were six large pillars of marble each on the edge of a large circle of stone and apparently held up the ceiling itself. At the bottom and in the middle of the marble pillars was a large pool of what could have been water but sparkled and flowed almost like liquid diamonds.
Dancing over the top of the water and floating about flitting as they would was a group of small, pink fairies. The entire cave seemed to be filled with the music of their child-like laughter as they continued to play, oblivious of the two in their home.
Demon Kohachan seemed un-impressed with the cave as he loosened his belt. Tarawen shot him a glance at the movement. Demon Kohachan noted the glance and grinned less than pleasantly, "Calm down. You can see how the fairies heal if you can actually see the injuries form together and fade away. It's only to satisfy you that I'm okay afterwards." She nodded as he gritted his teeth and peeled off the soiled tunic.
She noticed another wound on his back. A large bruise turned black and blue with red in the very center of it. At his side was the same gash that had bled so much. At the movement of riding and there with taking off the tunic, the wound had re-opened once more. Tarawen began to talk, hoping to get her mind off of the situation with his wounds.
"What happened out there, Kohachan? You fought the Shadow Fighters, you've fought many foes before with success . . . but you were brought down this time. Is Demon Zolaris that strong?"
"Yes." Kohachan took his first step into the water, "There is only one to match him. Only one to match the Dark One and surpass him. That is the Light One. Even then, after the legend and if one of them does triumph, he would be named the Moon God Knight. Then . . . there is only one combined force to defeat him. How that kind of power can be gathered remains a mystery, however."
"What combined force is that? I have my suspicions but tell me outright." Tarawen demanded mildly.
"The Goddesses. Well, the Goddesses and one other. There is almost always one to wield the power such beings can create. No one person can demand such power, it can only be blessed. And no God or Deity or Demon can release his or her power directly. Thus why there are hosts such as myself. Even then, the Gods of the moon chose to direct their powers through the blades of two Demons." He waded a bit more, looking closely at the fairies and mentally asking for their aid.
"Okay . . . how exactly do you know about all of this? You are the key of Wisdom but did you have a dream to know all of this?"
Kohachan held his hand to one of the fairies as she considered him and answered, "No . . . that is even harder to explain. I just think of the question and the answer comes to me. That's the only way it can be explained." He smiled as the fairy began flying around him. He felt the aches in his entire body beginning to leave him as the fairy's light covered and healed him.
Watching the bruise on his back as well as the stains of blood and the gash each close up, Tarawen nodded in approval, "Okay, but do you think you will be able to think a better way around the legend? Such as where to find the combined power? Or how to free the Demons of the Moon God's grip?" Somehow, freeing Demons did not appeal to Tarawen but for right then, it was the proper thing to hope for.
Kohachan shook his head and started back toward Tarawen before another fairy could use her power up on him. "I can only do what I can do. I can only call on some answers, not all. But at later times, the answers will come. It is almost to say when the student is ready, the teacher arrives." He gladly accepted the cloak Tarawen had carried from the Gerudo grounds. "Just don't worry. The answers will come. Only worry if the answers are kept from being voiced when they are needed.
Tarawen nodded her agreement then shifted into her tiny fox form and followed after him away from the magic fountain. She was not settled about the legend any more. But she could hope that Kohachan didn't get any ideas of death. Death was never the answer.
She jumped up to his shoulder as he knelt to pick up his bloodied and torn tunic and held the fur cloak tighter around himself. She only hoped that everyone would be okay when it was all said and done. At the very least, everyone could finally get a well-deserved rest before nightfall.
~~~~~
After the long story, Link took a deep drink from the offered cup of milk. The drink soothed his throat pleasantly while Nabooru thought through everything that he had told her. "Well, Link, you certainly seem to be one blessed to be involved with many legends but cursed to endure many hard times." Link nodded wearily. His head was getting heavier with each passing moment and the effort to keep his eyes open was growing greater.
Nabooru smiled a bit to see him so tired. He did deserve a rest after all he had gone through and to rest up before going through his final night of yet another legend. "We can hope that the light side of this legend will win. But then, there must always be a balance. If that is true, then neither side will win. Both will run out of time and the balance will continue. Yet you are still willing to fight to make sure that the more active warrior does not get through with his want for victory?"
Link's head bobbed with a nod before resting on the table, finally becoming too heavy to sit up with. Nabooru laughed in her throat and indicated her close friend to help Link up and to a place where he could sleep in peace. "I certainly hope you do get him, kid. That dolt stole the Gerudo Stallion, after all. But until then, the other sages and I have business to discuss."
She watched as Link was helped out of the room then began her own journey back to the castle once more. Things were heating up even more so than Zelda had predicted. There was much to discuss and very little time to discuss it in. The final day was high upon them and the final night was nothing to take lightly.
The two left the room and their steps were out of ear shot soon enough. Nabooru focused on the castle and felt the winds of the desert surround her and her spirit began to fly taking her body with it.
~~~~~
WAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Still more chapters to write after this one!! *Has gone completely, utterly, and unquestionably insane*
Kohachan: *looks at the time* Oro? X_X; No flippin wonder! *Shakes Shadow Girl* It's past three in the morning! What were you thinking?!?
*Blinks while being shaken* I was thinking I want to update tonight! =^-^=
Kohachan: *Sweatdrops and lets her go, going off into a series of muttered curses*
Heheheheh! Anyway, seems once a person writes a long chapter, there is no getting out of semi long chapters. Sorry for being late with this one, everyone! But hold in there. The moment you've been waiting for is coming quickly enough. Better yet, I get to start on the next chapter right away! . . . and after a nice, long sleep!
But now we must wonder, what do the sages have planned? Will Demon Zolaris show up again before nightfall and catch our friends off guard? What happened to having Crystal in the spotlight? Answers to these and more are coming in the next chapter! But now this chapter is said and heard!
Soooo . . . GOOD NIGHT WORLD!
Kohachan: Sure sign of her insanity, bad attempts at rhymes, babbling, making little sense, and stalling everything as long as possible.
Yep yep!
Until next time!