Chronicles of Zelda I: Darkness Rising
Chapter 25: Mercenaries for Hire
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda is property of Nintendo.
Link tiredly descended the spiral staircase that led to the ground from the heights of the elven home, looking over the village as he did so. Dek, Zelda, Rayen, Lunari, Hamadil, Aldamiel, Galdel, and Lady Halthierien were already gathered at the base of the tree, though Dauries, whom the Hylians had met the day before, and her family were not present.
"Hey everyone," Link said yawning, as he joined the group. He briefly noticed Zelda's slight change in clothing; she wore a new outfit that was basically a replica of her previous attire, though her pants were now black and she wore a matching bodysuit underneath, as was evident by the tight leather covering her arms. He was more concerned, though, with Lunari and Dek, who were both looking at the ground with a sad expression, neither making eye contact with the other. Link assumed this was because Lunari had wanted to accompany the companions on their journey, as Dek had told him last night. He also noticed Lunari's attire, which consisted of a blue bodysuit much like Zelda's and a long, dark blue tunic. The elven girl's bodysuit, though, was visible on her legs, which were only partly covered by the tunic that reached her knees. Her clothes, surprisingly, looked to be made for traveling and fighting, and Link hoped that she was not planning to follow the three.
"Finally," Hamadil muttered under his breath, "I've never known one to sleep as long as you."
"Yep, I'm one of a kind," Link smiled, yawning again, "A bit tired, though."
"Did you not sleep well?" Lady Halthierien asked, concerned.
"Don't worry about it," the boy shook his head. In truth, he had received little rest the night before, thoughts of the coming journey weighing heavily on his mind. For now, though, he pushed these thoughts aside, deciding to remain cheerful, as it seemed his companions were rather downcast.
"Now that the hero has finally awakened," Galdel said, smiling, "I suppose we can begin."
"Begin?"
"Yes…We have prepared gifts for you, in order to aid you on your quest."
"Cool," was Link's simple response. Lady Halthierien suddenly stepped forward and presented Zelda with a sheathed sword, and the item seemed familiar.
"It's…my sword," Zelda said in awe, reaching out and grasping the blade, "I didn't even notice it was gone." She unsheathed the blade and stared at it in wonder, as did Link. The dented, rusty sword that had been purchased in Aldoren had been re-forged into the blade that it was meant to be. It seemed to shine in the morning light, and all traces of age had been carefully removed. The blade widened out slightly on both sides, and the blue, intricate hilt was adorned with a magnificent sapphire gem. It was truly among the Master Sword in terms of beauty, Link thought.
"Wow…" the boy said, gazing at the blade, "It's amazing."
"Dek told us that the Princess's sword was in need of some polishing," Galdel smiled, "So we had it re-forged. When our greatest smiths looked upon your blade, they were honored to work on it."
"Why?" Zelda asked, sheathing her new blade.
"That blade is one of the greatest in elven history. It dates back thousands of years, and it was originally forged by the greatest elven smith ever to walk the earth. The sword was wielded by the warrior Amaldir, hero of the elves of ages past. Its name is Aeolin, in the elven tongue, which means 'hope of the night'."
"Wow," Zelda said slowly, "Are you sure I should have it?"
"There is none more suited to wield the Blade of Amaldir than you, Princess, for you will be a ray of hope among the darkness of this world."
"I guess…" Zelda said uncertainly, "Thank you."
"And the Hero of Time," Lady Halthierien said, shifting the groups' focus to Link, "I believe these will suit you." She produced a pair of gauntlets from a bag at her side and presented them to the boy, whose gaze was immediately drawn to the shimmering gloves. They resembled the silver gauntlets that Link had once worn as they were thick and plated with a shimmering coat of silver, though the metal seemed slightly different. "The silver is infused with elven magic," Lady Halthierien said, answering the boy's unspoken question, "They are remarkably strong."
"Cool," Link said, taking the gauntlets in his hands.
"We though it useful as well to incorporate a tool into the gloves," the elven lady smiled, "I believed you call it a 'hookshot'." Link looked at the gloves, confused, before noticing the unmistakable, triangular tip, of the grappling weapon emerging from a groove in the right-handed gauntlet just behind the wrist. Link quickly donned the new gloves, discarding the old, and pointed the tip at the ground. His left hand searched the right gauntlet, quickly finding a small trigger hidden among the silver plating, and pulled, releasing the spring-loaded chain which shot forward and lodged itself in the ground. Link retracted the weapon and smiled.
"I've missed that," he said, satisfied, then became curious, "But how did you fit a chain within the gauntlet?"
"Only the magic and the tools of the elves can create such a weapon," Lady Halthierien smiled, "I hope that you will enjoy it."
"Definitely," Link answered, nodding, "Thank you."
"And you, Dek," Lady Halthierien turned to the elf, removing a quiver of arrows from her bag, "These arrows are infused with the magic of the elves, giving them remarkable talents. They fly faster and straighter than average arrows, and have the power to pierce some armor that would otherwise impenetrable with an ordinary shot. Though," she said, smiling, "In order to make full use of these weapons, you will need to learn the ways of elven magic, which is not an easy task." Dek nodded and took the quiver in his hands, as the elven lady continued, "Take this as well," she handed the elf a small, glowing stone, "In the event you exhaust your supply of the arrows, this stone can infuse normal arrows with the elven magic as well. May you make good use of these tools."
"I will," Dek bowed slightly, "Thank you."
"Rayen, as you named yourself," Galdel looked to the bounty hunter, "I regret that we could do no more for you than restock your quiver, and I'm afraid that we weren't able to make many arrows for you; they are rather unique, after all." Lady Halthierien smiled as she handed the man a small quiver, the arrows which it held quite smaller than the common size.
"They're kind of small," Link said, raising an eyebrow, "And I didn't know you had a bow."
"I don't," Rayen said, opening his large coat slightly to show the crossbow hanging at his side, "I've always liked the crossbow; it's more powerful and capable of firing longer distances. I only use it when I'm in need of stealth, though. As for the arrows, they're smaller but much heavier than average arrows, and they fly straighter over long distances."
"Just how many weapons do you have hidden in that coat?"
"Crossbow, arrows," the hunter said, strapping the small quiver to his belt, "Throwing knives, large daggers, and some other stuff."
"You'll have to show me later," Link said, receiving a nod from Rayen.
"The time has come for you to depart," Galdel said to the four travelers, "May you change the future, as you hope to do."
"Do not forget what you are fighting for," Lady Halthierien said, smiling, "Your actions will alter the course of time, whether for good or evil, and the fate of this world depends on you."
"Thank you for everything," Zelda said politely, bowing, "We will not forget. Goodbye."
"Goodbye," Link and Rayen say in unison, and the two immortal elves nod before walking away. The two Hylians and the hunter briefly said farewell to Aldamiel and Lunari, before turning to follow Hamadil, who was to lead them out of the city.
Dek said a short goodbye to Aldamiel as she embraced him in a motherly fashion, and looked to Lunari one last time. Their eyes met, and unspoken words passed between the two of them. Dek reluctantly tore his gaze away from the girl, and turned to leave. He felt he should say something to the girl, but knew that it would only increase her pain, and he sadly decided that their words shared last night were sufficient.
The elf slowly joined his companions, his head bowed and his eyes downcast in sadness, as they were led out of the city.
***
"There it is!" Malon shouted enthusiastically, driving Epona forward to the edge of the dead forest. Alria looked up at the girl's outburst, her spirits immediately heightened at the sight of the light of day just a small distance away. She yelled for joy and Strike raced alongside the Gerudo mare. After a time that seemed far too long for either of the companions, they exploded into the light of the sun, feeling warmth and safety after their long trek through the cursed forest. The two steeds slowly slowed to a stop, finally relaxed now that they had escaped the darkness and feel of death within the woods.
"Wow, this feels good," Alria said, gracefully dismounting Strike, who immediately moved to a patch of grass, evidently incredibly hungry after having nothing but meager rations during the length of the journey through the forest.
"I thought we'd never be out of there," Malon dismounted as well so that Epona could feed as well, "That place was incredibly creepy."
"Too bad we're going to have to go back in there," Alria said sourly.
"What!?"
"Don't you remember?" the former Gerudo asked, "You promised the ghosts that-"
"Oh…" Malon groaned, interrupting, "I forgot about that. I'm gonna have to get Link and drag him back here to see if he can help. I wish I hadn't said that."
"If you had kept your mouth shut we'd both be dead right now."
"I guess."
The two quietly walked to the crest of the small hill before them, their horses trotting closely behind, and were pleased to see a large village just a short distance away, situated amidst the rolling hills of the area.
"Well," Alria said, moving down the hill, "Let's go."
***
"You have to stop thinking about her," Link said, sighing, "I'm getting sick just watching you."
"Sorry," Dek mumbled, "I've just got this feeling that I'm not going to ever see her again."
"You're being too dramatic."
Dek opened his mouth to protest but was stopped by Zelda's voice, "What he means is that you will see her again, whether or not you believe it, because you two are meant to be with each other."
"I'd never say something like that," Link stated sourly.
"Of course you wouldn't," Zelda smiled, "You're emotionally-deficit." Link raised an eyebrow and the princess explained, "You hardly ever show your true thoughts or feelings, so I just decided that I'd help you a bit."
"That's not even close to what I was thinking."
"Well, then," the princess turned toward the boy, smiling, "What were you thinking?"
"You really don't want to know."
"Alright," Rayen suddenly stopped the conversation, "As much as I appreciate this little psychiatric evaluation, it's incredibly annoying, so please shut up."
"You don't have to be so harsh about it," Zelda grumbled, turning forward once more.
Dek almost smiled as his friends' antics, but still could not shake the feeling that he had seen his home, and Lunari, for the last time. It had been approximately a day since the group's departure from Halthierien, and they were currently wandering through the lush forests of the Emerald Mountains in the direction of Calatia, but the elf had remained downcast and quiet the entire time. He continued to think of what he was leaving behind, especially who, and so it was that he almost collided with Link when the Hylian abruptly halted in front of him.
"Quiet," Link whispered, his ears perking up as he scanned the woods around the travelers, "We're being followed."
"Again…" Zelda said sarcastically, rolling her eyes while Rayen quietly removed his crossbow and loaded an arrow.
"I suggest that you reveal your position!" the hunter yelled, "The slightest movement and you'll find an arrow in your chest!"
"Alright, alright!" a voice cried, one that Dek recognized all too easily, "You don't have to get so mad about it!"
Dek's suspicions were realized as Lunari gracefully leapt down from the canopy overhead, landing perfectly on the forest floor. The elf for a moment did not know whether to be ecstatic or angered at the girl's sudden appearance, put the latter quickly took over.
"Lunari!?" Dek shouted angrily, glaring at the girl, "What're you doing out here!?"
"I'd think you'd be a little happier to see me," Lunari said sarcastically, "I didn't follow you all the way out here just to-"
"What are you thinking!?" Dek continued yelling, despite his close proximity to the female elf, "You're going to get yourself killed!"
"So are you," Lunari countered smoothly, "And I decided I'd rather follow you to death than stay in that city for the next thousand years!"
"You shouldn't be involved in this! You would have been safe in Halthierien!"
"I didn't want to be safe! I'm not meant to be safe!"
"Think about your mother!" Dek changed arguments, "She'll be alone!"
"I already talked to her," Lunari said quietly, "She understands…she's been through the same thing before, after all…"
"But…I wanted you to be safe," Dek replied sadly, barely noticing that his friends had moved ahead a short distance to allow the two some privacy.
"You knew I wouldn't stay…"
"I knew you wouldn't…but I hoped you would…for your sake."
"You don't have to protect me, Dek…I can take care of myself," Lunari smiled, "And don't even think about trying to take me back; it would cost you way too much time to make a trip back to the city."
"Alright…" Dek sighed, defeated, "I guess I really can't stop you."
"Nope," the girl replied cheerfully, "You can't."
"I'm gonna regret this…"
***
"So…" Malon began, slowly sipping her tea, "What do we know?" She looked to Alria, seated across from her at the small table in the center of the crowded bar. They had arrived in the town just a short time ago, and had immediately asked around to discover exactly where they were.
"Well, we're in someplace near the coast of the continent, in a village called Boldro, about a hundred miles east to where we intended. I'm not sure exactly how far east we are, but I know we shouldn't have emerged from the forest onto the coast."
"This is gonna cost us way too much time," Malon sighed, "If we had stayed on track in the forest, we would have had a straight path to Calatia, but now we have to cut a diagonal path to have the slightest chance of getting there before Link and Zelda. Even so, I doubt that we have enough time."
"What about a boat?"
"We don't have enough rupees, and I don't want to risk sneaking onboard in case we end up captured and lose even more time. And I don't think we can trust Calatia, judging by what Amir told us. Those on board would see that I was a Hylian and most likely arrest the two of us."
"Ugh…" Alria moaned, dropping her head into her hands, "You think we could at least afford to spend the night here?" Malon was about to explain why they couldn't, until she suddenly realized just how tired she really was.
"I guess…" she said slowly, yawning, "We could both use the rest, but it'll probably exhaust our limited rupee supply."
"The inn is just next door," Alria rose from her seat, "I'll go pay for the rooms." Malon nodded, handing the girl the small bag of currency and watching her quickly exit the tavern.
"Excuse me, Miss," Malon turned at the sound of the voice, and found herself staring at two large men, grinning down at her. Neither looked to be much older than twenty winters, she judged, and both appeared immensely strong, their sleeveless shirts displaying their massive arms. Their faces were decorated with a small amount of stubble; the taller had black hair and wore a dark blue tunic, and the other had tanner skin and brown hair, though the same tunic adorned his body. Malon quickly realized that they were sailors, and couldn't stop herself from thinking that they were both rather handsome. The taller looked down and smiled wider, before continuing.
"The name's Bosk," the taller, and the one who had spoken first said, "Me and my friend Lob here couldn't help but overhear your conversation with that pretty Gerudo girl just a moment ago. I thought that maybe we could be of some service to ya'."
"Really?" Malon said cautiously, raising an eyebrow as the two men took a seat on either side of her.
"You see," Lob spoke, "We heard that you could use a boat, and a safe ride to Calatia. If you hadn't guessed, me and Bosk just happen to be two of the crew members of the greatest vessel ever to sail these seas."
"Sorry," the farm girl said quickly, "But we don't have any money." She began to rise from the table, put was stopped as Bosk grabbed her arm, though not forcefully, and pulled her back down.
"Well, you see," he began, "Money's not really an issue, here, Miss."
"What are you talking about?" Malon suddenly became wary of the look in the older man's eyes, and fervently wished that Alria was still around.
"Me and Lob here," Bosk leaned in, his face uncomfortably close to the farm girl's, "We decided," he said, licking his lips, "That if you and your friend were to say, spend the night with the two of us, we'd guarantee you passage to Calatia." The sailor smiled, still gripping Malon's forearm.
"No," Malon said, her eyes flashing dangerously. The men almost flinched under her steely gaze as she tried to rise once again, but Bosk gripped her arm tighter and pulled her down forcefully into the chair.
"I'm sorry, Miss, but that's not gonna do," Lob growled, "I was looking forward to the company of that Gerudo tonight, and we can't just let the two of you go."
"We'll get what we want, the hard way or the easy way," Bosk snarled, "We always do. You should consider yourself lucky to be on my agenda for tonight."
"Get away from me," Malon said, her voice cold, once again startling the two sailors. They had never encountered a girl quite like her before.
"I like your attitude," Bosk smiled, "It makes you even sweeter. Lob," he nodded to his companion, who rose from his chair and stood behind Malon, his large hands gripping her shoulders tightly. Bosk grabbed her other arm and Malon was suddenly forced toward the man's waiting lips. She tried to struggle but Lob quickly put a hand behind her head, and Bosk leaned in, his eyes half-closed, wallowing in the delight that was sure to come. Malon nearly gasped in relief when he suddenly stopped his advance and Lob relinquished his grip. Bosk was staring apprehensively at something behind her, and he slowly rose from his chair, standing at his full height of over six and a half feet.
"What can we do for you, sir?" the sailor spat, glaring at the figure that Malon could sense behind her. She whirled, and gasped at the sight of the man that had rescued her. He towered over even Bosk, and his size and sheer bulk was incredible, his muscles slightly visible under the immense cloak that concealed most of his features. His calloused hands were a dark tan in color, and a large axe was strapped onto his back.
"I don't think the young lady enjoys your company," the stranger said in a deep voice, "You should leave her alone."
"Well, now," the taller sailor said, smiling, "That's none of your business, is it?" The newcomer said nothing, and Lob cracked his knuckles, eager for a fight. "Now then, stranger," Bosk hissed, "If you value your health you'll leave us alone and we won't have to show you why people fear us sailors."
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
"Then you'll just have to learn the hard way!" Lob yelled and leapt at his foe, his fist aimed at the stranger's face. The large man easily sidestepped the blow with amazing speed and grabbed the sailor's wrist. A series of cracking noises could be heard, and Lob yelled in pain before being released. He staggered back, his unharmed hand holding his injured wrist as his face twisted in agony.
"The bastard broke it!" Lob screamed, uncovering his wrist. Malon winced slightly as she saw the injury and the bones jutting out underneath the skin. Bosk, too, saw this, and glared at the stranger, though he made no move to attack after witnessing his friend's failure. A few of the other sailors, noticing the fight but not knowing the cause of it, formed a circle around the stranger, eager to avenge their friend.
"We're not gonna let him get away with this!" Bosk yelled.
"We'll grind him up and feed him to the rats!" someone yelled.
"Let's get him boys!" The five sailors, including Lob, leapt at the man in unison, and Bosk took this opportunity to firmly wrap his arms around Malon, nearly crushing her as he stepped away from the chaos.
"Let's go, beauty," he said, dragging the girl away with superior strength. Malon, growing increasingly angry, slipped her foot in behind the sailor's leg and yanked back. Bosk cursed as he fell to the ground, and the farm girl quickly repositioned herself, one arm supporting the other, so that her elbow crashed into his neck as the two hit the ground hard. She rolled off of the large sailor as he gasped for breath, her attack painful despite her small size and weight.
Malon dashed frantically for the exit, but was stopped when Bosk grabbed her ankle, sending her to the ground once again. "It's…not…going…to be…that easy…" he choked out, rising to his feet and lifting Malon off the ground by her ankle. As she hung upside down she secretly thanked the heavens that she wasn't wearing a dress.
"Put her down," a feminine voice suddenly snarled, and the sailor nearly obeyed and dropped the girl in surprise. Malon gazed upward to see Alria barring the path to the exit, a menacing glare in her eyes. Bosk looked the ex-Gerudo over and smiled, tossing Malon onto the table at his side.
"Alright, then," Bosk grinned, "She was a bit young, anyway. But you," he studied Alria, "You'll be a lot more fun."
Alria snarled and attacked viciously, driving her foot into the sailor's gut before he had a chance to realize what was happening, let alone defend himself. Bosk doubled over in pain and Alria pivoted so that her back was to him, grabbing his neck in the process and flipping him over her back. She slammed the man onto a small table, which nearly cracked in half under his weight.
Bosk looked up, his head spinning, and mumbled, "I guess it's true what they say about Gerudo…" Alria didn't give him a chance to finish before she lifted him up and slammed his head, face first, into a mirror that hung on the wall just behind him. She sailor groaned and blacked out, slumping down to the floor, his face bloody.
"Let's see how many girls think your face is pretty after that," Alria snarled, and turned back to Malon.
Malon, however, had turned away from the ex-Gerudo's battle and was concentrating on watching as her outnumbered rescuer from earlier fought off his attackers. Two of the sailors had already been decommissioned after being thrown across the room and a thirst was lying still on the ground, his face viciously broken by the stranger's fist.
The stranger was currently holding the fourth sailor in the air by his neck, and Lob was on the ground to the stranger's back, thought to be unconscious. The reason that Malon was watching the battle so intently, though, was because her attention had been drawn upon seeing the slightest movement from Lob's injured body. As she looked on, the sailor's hand stumbled across the cold feel of a small harpoon, a weapon that must have been forgotten by one of the battling sailors.
The girl stared as Lob finally grasped the harpoon and slowly rose to his knees, in a perfect position from which to attack the stranger from the back. Malon, acting on instinct, sprinted across the room and the sailor found himself staring at the tip of an arrow in a matter of seconds. The stranger, hearing Lob's yelp of surprise, dropped the sailor he was holding and turned to see the girl poised to deliver a killing blow.
"Drop it," Malon snarled, and Lob immediately complied, letting the harpoon fall to the floor, "Now, get out of here." The sailor scrambled to his feet and raced for the exit, stopping only for a moment to notice Alria standing by the door. With a sharp look from the desert warrior, though, he bolted out the door.
"Thanks," the stranger said gruffly, making Malon realize he was looking at her. She placed her bow on her back and her arrow in her quiver before fully turning toward the large man.
"Thank you," she said, smiling, "You have no need to thank me." The stranger grunted in response, and turned away, his eyes surveying the scene of unconscious bodies and broken tables.
The entire crowd in the bar, who had been watching the fight, quickly turned back to their drinks as the giant's eyes roamed the room. Without a word, he placed a bag of rupees on the counter and turned and marched out of the building, leaving the bartender as well as the crowd somewhat confused.
"What happened?" Alria asked, walking towards Malon. The two took a seat at the counter, the farm girl sighing in relief. The bartender could be heard mumbling about troublemakers in the background, though he was glad that the man had given him a good amount of money to fix the damages.
"Those two sailors," Malon began, "They…kind of came up to me and…you know…"
"Oh…" Alria said, her eyes lighting with understanding, "Let me guess; one of the jerks was reserved for me?"
"Yeah…when I refused them, they grabbed me and tried to…force me to…kiss the big one…" she shuddered with disgust, then continued, "They were a lot stronger than me, and I was trapped…but then that guy came and stopped them. Then the fight."
"Damn sick sailors," Alria cursed, "They think they own you. Why'd the huge one just walk out, though? We should've paid him back for all the trouble we caused him."
"Don't worry about it," a voice said from beside the two. The companions turned to look at the small, cloaked figure seated on a stool next to Alria, "It's not a big deal." The voice sounded strange; non-human in a way, and the creature was only about half the size of the two girls.
"Who are you?"
"The name's Slick, and my partner's the big guy; Brigade," the creature said, removing his hood so that the two companions could see his face, which was round and lizard-like in appearance, "Mercenaries for hire."
Author's Notes:
Well, chapter's finally out; it's been about a month. I apologize for the extremely long wait, and I do feel really about it. There's a million excuses that I could give to explain why it took so long, and some of them are good, but I'm not going to.
Part of the reason it took so long though, was just my reluctance to work on the chapter. It seems like people maybe are taking less interest in the story, which is somewhat saddening. I only got about four reviews for the last chapter, and I thought if I waited more reviews might come in, but the last one was already about a month ago, and there haven't been any since. I'm asking that if you read this story, PLEASE REVIEW!
Another thing is the fact that I'm growing somewhat weary of the story. I'm definitely going to finish it, though, so don't worry. I usually give up on stories like this, but not this time. What I'm saying, though, is that chapters might come a bit slower as a struggle with the story. I don't even know how long I want it to go on, so I can't say if it's near the end or not. So please don't get mad if the chapters aren't updated so frequently.
By the way, while you're waiting for new chapter's for this story, read Ace the Mace's story; Dark Tide. It's an awesome, though sometimes overlooked, story, and I encouraged everyone to read it.
On a side note, I'm thinking about writing a Final Fantasy 8 story. I just got the game a little while ago, but I'm already a little more than halfway through it and I really like it. I won't start the story until I finish the game, and I might not even start it until I'm done with this story, but I'm not really sure.
I finally changed the name of the story, so I hope I didn't confuse anyone.
And Brigade is pronounced Brig-aed.
Well, until next time, enjoy!