Hm.....I have nothing to say today....except, thanks you guys for the reviews, and please keep 'em coming ^^
Chapter Twelve
"Another Sheikah..." Isuke muttered. "You guys just don't give up."
"I am not here to fight you. I want to help you," Sheik said.
"Oh yeah," Rittowa laughed. "We're really gonna believe that."
"I guess there is no reason for you to believe me, but, I can tell you what happened to the Kokiri."
Isuke snorted. "It's not that hard to figure out what happened. Were you one of the Sheikah that killed them?!"
"On the contrary, I tried to stop them. But by doing so, they will kill me if they ever find me."
Isuke still didn't believe him. "Why should I believe you aren't loyal to the Sheikah?"
Sheik swiftly pulled out a dart and threw it towards Isuke before he knew what was going on, and it hit the tree next to him. "Because I could have just killed you."
Isuke stared at the dart then looked back at Sheik. "Talk."
"The Deku Tree had a barrier up around the forest so that no one could get in, so a Sheikah woman called Settamia turned herself into a Hylian that had been in the forest before. I do not know who, but I do know that they have captured her. Settamia used the form of this girl to get the Kokiri to open the barrier and they all attacked."
Before anyone could answer, they realized that a tall figure was slowly making its way over to them.
"L-Link?" Zara said. Something about the figure was scaring her.
"Quick, we must flee," Sheik warned in a calm manner.
The figure came out of the shadows, a blank look on his face.
"It looks so much like Link...but...he has white hair..." Zara said.
"He is not himself. Now FOLLOW ME!"
Isuke hesitated, but then he saw that in the way the Link-look-alike held his sword, he was going strike. The zora nodded to the two girls and jumped up into the tree with Sheik.
Oni Link either hadn't really seen them, or just decided they weren't worth the trouble. After all, it was the Sheikah he was after anyway. Sheik had moved into the trees too quickly, therefore he hadn't seen him. Oni Link just stomped by, not even looking up to see where the four had gone.
Isuke sighed. "What in Hyrule was that about?! It looked like Link but....there was an evil energy about him."
"I'm not sure," The Sheikah responded. "But I do think that is The Hero of Time."
"Why is that?"
"That sword...." Sheik stopped and shook his head. "....I'll tell you later. Right now we have to stop him before he does anything he will regret."
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Fortunately, Zara was with the group, and was able to go up to a forest fairy without it flying away that they had come upon. She walked back to the group and informed them at the fairy would show them the way out of the Lost Woods. They headed out, Rittowa in the front, Zara was next to her, Sheik was behind both of them, and Isuke was at the back, because he still didn't trust him.
It was sunset by the time they were back in Kokiri Forest, and Zara almost started crying again when she saw all the dead bodies. Isuke sighed sadly, and then looked at the others. "We should give these people a proper burial before we go."
"You're right, we can't just leave them here," Zara replied grimly.
Sheik just looked around, and then turned and walked off, through the shallow water. "I'm going to see the Deku Tree." Was all he said.
"That what?" Rittowa asked, coming out of a house with two shovels.
"The Deku Tree, he's guardian of the forest." Zara answered, taking one of the shovels.
"Tch...Some guardian if he couldn't protect all these poor kids."
No one said anything as they dug the small graves.
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Zelda had given up struggling with the chains a long time ago and was just sitting on the floor of the dark, and cattle scented room. A young red-haired girl had been thrown in a few hours ago, in an unconscious state. She still hadn't woken up though.
The door suddenly burst open and in walked a female Sheikah, clothed in a garb much like the Sheikah warriors (read: like Sheik), except there was nothing covering her mouth and nose.
"Hello Princess," greeted the Sheikah.
Zelda just looked away with an up-turned nose.
She just chuckled then grabbed a bucket of water that was sitting on the side of the room and dumped it onto the sleeping red-head. She quickly awoke and sat-up, then stood-still in terror when she saw the Sheikah. "Wh...where am I...?"
"You should know," The Sheikah smirked and walked out, locking the door behind her.
Zelda watched as the girl looked around then said. "This...is the barn... I'm back at Lon Lon Ranch....?" She then looked at the Princess. "....Princess Zelda?"
"Yes, I am. Who are you?"
"I....I'm Malon."
"Well, Malon, since this is your barn is there anyway we can get out?"
"No... as you can see, there isn't even a window. Well, there is that little opening there for sun to come through but its way too small."
Zelda sighed. What could she do? Just wait and hope that someone would come, she guessed.
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Sheik walked up to the Deku Tree, and dropped to his knees. "Great Deku Tree....I...I'm sorry, that I couldn't stop my kin from destroying the Kokiri."
"Do not be troubled, for it was not your fault. Thou hast done ye best." Sheik could tell that there was sadness in his voice. "But, would thou tell me how the Sheikah hast come back into this world?"
Sheik nodded and began telling him.
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Zara dropped the last bit of dirt over the grave then dropped her shovel. "Phew... That's all of them, right?"
Rittowa nodded, and then looked over at the opening in the trees when she heard something moving. "That Sheikah guy is back."
Sheik merely walked past them. "Come, we already allowed Oni Link to get too far ahead of us."
"Oni Link? What are you talking about?" Rittowa asked, starting to follow him.
"That's what the Deku Tree told me. He has been possessed by anger, thus changing him into the evil form he is now. He'll destroy anything in his path."
"How are we supposed to stop him?" Isuke asked.
Sheik explained what they were supposed to do on the way out of the forest.
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Meanwhile, Oni Link had come across a nearby town and was using his sword to destroy buildings, all the time his face having that emotionless look on it. Isuke and the others arrived just before demolished another building, and watched the last of the villagers run away, screaming their heads off.
"Come on!" Sheik said. "We have to hold him down long enough to do this!"
Oni Link turned around at the sound of his voice, and his pupil-less eyes glowed red when he saw Sheik. Isuke got into a fighting stance, Rittowa drew her swords and Sheik pulled out his short katana. Sheik tossed a wooden object over to Zara and told her to use it when he said so.
Oni Link rushed at Sheik and swung his sword down hard at him. Rittowa jumped in front of him and knocked the blade away with her own, then swung her other sword around at his arm. Oni Link blocked with his gauntlet then back-handed Rittowa away, and slashed at Sheik again. Sheik did a black-flip, dodging it, and then drove his katana towards Oni Link's chest. The possessed Link swiftly blocked with his twisted sword, then before he could strike back, realized someone had just jumped onto his back and was trying to pull him down. While he was preoccupied, Rittowa kicked up across the face, and then Sheik did a flying-kick strait into his stomach. This weakened him enough for Isuke to drag him down, then Sheik and Rittowa both pounced on him to hold him down.
"NOW!!" Sheik yelled.
Zara raced over to them and pressed the blank, dome-shaped piece of wood onto Oni Link's face, and held it there.
The wood began glowing and Oni Link started screaming in pain. He thrashed around, but Isuke, Rittowa, and Sheik were able to hold him down somehow. After Zara had held it there for a few seconds, Sheik nodded to her and she pulled it off. Oni Link growled threw them off of him, but then just fell back to the ground, panting heavily. Zara looked at the wood she had been holding. It had become a mask. The face of Oni Link was on it now, and Zara could feel great evil emitting from it. She heard a groan and looked up to see that Link was getting up, now looking normal again.
"Link! Thank the Goddesses you're alright!" She exclaimed, rushing over to him.
Link stared at her. "Z....Zara? What happened...? I...."
"Shhh...Don't try to talk. Quick, let's get him into one of these houses."
Link just fell limp, and they carried him into one of the abandoned houses.