Chapter Twelve

Links eyes opened and blinked. It was strangely hot in the room again, and his body ached. His vision blurred up the moment he sat up in bed, and everything was moving. Or so it seemed. His hand went to his forehead. A fever. The hero ignored this, however, and stumbled across his room. Link balanced himself on the wall and chairs and whatever he could find, knocking over things as he made his way to the door.

Link stepped out of his room, straightening himself and tried to look normal- but his head was burning up badly. He rubbed is head and scratched his hair, pulling some of the dead and loose strands out. Link looked at his hand with the strings of hair. His expression went from dizziness to a puzzled look. Silver?

The hero went back into his room and flipped over the mirror at his dresser. The soft pale blue eyes widened in shocked at the reflection. Silver hair. His soft, shiny blonde hair went silver. Link turned his head, and more silver hair fell over his shoulder.

'Huh?' Link's mind questioned. He reached back and felt that his hair had grew. "What the...?" What else has changed about him? Link begun to panic. He looked all over himself and saw that he was still the same in body but his short blonde hair grew to mid back and was now silver.

"Strange... Fierce Deity. Tell me what you think." Link spoke aloud.

You're starting to look like me, kid. More now than you did then. Though, I can't explain things all too clearly... I remember that before I was cursed and killed for being who I was, the priest said these words to me:

"Your evil powers and dark soul have brought death to this land. To stop you from destroying this world, I shall put this curse upon you and trap your soul and dark powers into a mask. Your mask will be sealed away forever. If one shall uncover your dark secret, both you and that person will slowly die and be lost in the endless pool of the undead." Damn old man... cursing me like this. Fierce Deity replied in Link's head.

"So, we're dying slowly?" Link grunted.

Um... I don't know about that. It seems even the Hero of Time has a dark place in his heart. Somehow my powers are starting to eat at your soul and your body is starting to take a different turn. I, myself, have nothing to do with your changing. I'm just stuck in the back of your head... sitting in my own little corner, minding my own business. The dark warrior replied.

"Yeah right. Every time I try thinking to myself you always burst in." Link growled at him.

Eh he... Fierce Deity sweat dropped. Link was silent for a minute. He was sliding his teeth together, with a glare on his face.

"Anyways, so you think it's your powers that are doing all of this to me?

Could be... When I first developed my powers I found them strange. But slowly... they began to eat me... consumed me into darkness, and even though I was a hero for justice, the people of the village thought my powers were evil and wanted me killed. After countless tries, they captured me finally and took me to the church. The priest destroyed my body and took my soul into the mask with the dark powers.

'So, your powers are slowly eating me whole?' Link summed it up.

Yup. Think of it like a demon. Fierce Deity told him.

Link paced back and forth in his room. He thought hard on this. One question remained in his head.

'Fierce Deity, how did you control this demon?' The hero asked.

I... the soulless warrior trailed off. I... fell in love with a girl.

Link's eyes became wide. Fierce Deity- the strong, fearless warrior fell in love? How could he fall in love?

I know what you're thinking kid. You have to remember; I was young as well. The dark warrior's voice was cold and full of anger.

'Who was she?' Link became curious about this woman.

Sigh. Her name was Lavender, and she was the village beauty. Back in my day, they were underdeveloped compared to today's world. But she was gorgeous.

I met her while on one journey. I was passing through her village with a bloody wound when she took me in and cared for me. Once I was back to health, we became... erm... a "couple." She wasn't just a beauty queen, but also a good archer. Her arrows never missed their target and hit with great speed and accuracy. Fierce Deity paused.

I... didn't think that damn priest would attack the village just to get to me. Lavender was wounded near the ankle and was trapped in a burning house. I charged in to save her but... Fierce Deity stopped speaking there.

'Oh... Sorry to hear that, man. She sounds like she was a great gal.' Link said.

Yeah... she was.

'But... What about me? I have no one to love and this demon is already eaten half of my heart.' Link said. He slumped depressingly back down on his bed.

What about that princess? Fierce Deity brought up.

Link rolled his eyes. 'She's a princess you moron. She deserves a prince.'

Oh don't give me that she-deserves-someone-better-than-me shit. Linky boy, you're totally into her. Admit it: You LOVE her. Fierce Deity snapped back.

Link went silent. Okay... so he got him on that one. Link couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of hope in his heart with Zelda being mentioned. It was true, the hero does have feelings for Hyrule's fair princess. He felt them getting stronger with each thought of Zelda.

You go tell her that you love her and you better do it soon. Fierce Deity commanded.

It was mid morning so everyone might be awake. Link got back off his bed and walked towards his bedroom door. This time his vision wasn't so bad and his body had cooled off. He looked at his room and realized how messy it was. He coughed and walked out of his room.

'I have so much to tell her... about Fierce Deity, this demon inside of me and... how I feel about her.' Link thought to himself.

Good luck kid. That would be the last thing Fierce Deity would say to him for a while.