Before I start this chapter I'm gonna answer a few of meh reviews....
An admirer of LOZ: First off, Kai-Ten-Giri is the name for Link's 'hurricane slash', as you call it, in the LoZ manga. It means something like 'revolving slash' in japanese. Second, actually, the Fierce Deity Mask isn't just a form that extends Link's power. And yes, Oni means 'evil' and that's what Oni Link is. The Fierce Deity mask is a mask just like Majora's Mask...it says so in the game. Therefore Link turns evil with it.
Linkrules: Yeah, you're right about me not explaining about my new chars much. Meh, I'll try to make up for that later. Is it almost over? Well, not really... If all goes as planned there is gonna be at least 7-9 more chapters. .;
And well, yes, the Zelda games and fics all are named after her...but none of them are about her, are they? I mean, heck, you don't even see Zelda in the first game...and she's hardly in OoT or LttP. And she's NOT in MM, OoA, and OoS. Yet they're all Legend of Zeldas....I was planning on having her in a coming-up chappie soon too....so..erm...yeah.
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ON WITH THE CHAPTER!!
Chapter Seventeen
Link and Sheik were walking deeper into the Lost Woods, and it was getting to the point where they could hardly see their hands in front of their faces.
"I don't like it, Sheik..." Link warned. "This place feels evil..."
"I feel it too," replied Sheik. "but if Rittowa is here we have to go on."
"Yeah. I just hope that the Triforce is leading me the right way."
After following the glowing triangle on the back of his hand, Link finally realized: Rittowa was in trouble. He took off deeper into the forest, Sheik following closely, although he didn't know what the heck was going on.
They ran through the woods, fighting through forest greens until they came to an area that looked completely blocked off by trees, vines and large bushes.
"You grab Rittowa!" Link commanded and dove forward, his blade flying through the obstacles in his path.
The two warriors ran through the pitch-black area, and Link started to hear screaming and felt the evil presence all around him. Sheik darted forward and Link lifted his hand in the air and called upon the light of the goddesses. The Triforce on the back of his hand glowed for second then suddenly the whole area was in engulfed in light. The evil beings screamed in pain from the light, some able to run, others dieing there.
Sheik had grabbed hold of a fallen Rittowa and jumped forward, slashing a path through the wall of green and out into the sunlight.
The sun shone down through the breaks in the tree branches above, creating pools of gold on the grass. Rittowa opened her eyes, squinting at the sunlight that peered down through the trees at her.
"Rittowa," came a familiar voice. "I'm glad you're alright."
Rittowa sat up and saw Link and Sheikah walking to her.
"Looks like we got there just in time..." Sheik said.
Rittowa was about to ask what happened when she remembered the boy in her arms that she had rescued from that forest. She looked at him. He seemed quite normal except....he had glowing red eyes and his hair was orange and yellow, and the texture was kinda leafy.
"Miroku?" Link blinked. "Miroku!"
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It was nighttime in Kokiri Forest, and everyone was gathered at Link's house, including Zara. She told them that the hole the skull kid had pushed her and Rittowa into split into two ways and she had ended up in another area of the forest.
Sheik hadn't expected that the path he took out of the Lost Woods would lead right out into Kokiri Forest either. It didn't make sense that they went so deep into the Lost Woods, yet, Kokiri Forest was just out there. The only thing he could think was that going through certain places of the Lost Woods would make you go to a completely different area if you didn't know where you were going.
"So, what's with the kid?" Rittowa asked.
"He began his transformation into a skull kid," replied Sheik in that quiet tone he always used. "That's why his hair is like that, and his eyes..."
"We got him out just in time," Link said. "Hopefully he'll start to remember things."
"When we were in that black area of the woods...he said he could see," said Rittowa.
Zara spoke up before Link or Sheik could open their mouths, eager to make her own knowledge known. "Skull kids have eyes that let them see in the dark, since they live in a dark forest. It's really strange...It is an ancient curse placed upon those woods that does it. Adults will have their flesh ripped from them...and wander in a living death. And children shall be cursed to dwell in darkness forever...never growing old or dieing."
"Who was it that put the curse upon that forest?" Rittowa asked.
"That was before the time that fairies came to this land...so none of us know."
"Well, whatever..." Link stood up. "I'm going to go talk to the Deku Tree."
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Isuke had gotten the Zora warriors to start doing proper training for the battles they would be fighting and was now preparing to get back to Link and the others. He left instructions with one zora he trusted most and headed out, diving through the waterfall and swimming down Zora River. He came out of the river with the sun shining down on Hyrule Field and took a look around. There was smoke rising from what was once Lon Lon Ranch, and even from that far away, Isuke could tell they had built tall walls around it. So, they were planning on using it as a fortress....
Grrr....What's wrong with the Hyrule Army? Why don't they attack them? If my warriors were ready, I would lead them against those Sheikah this second.
Speaking of Hyrule, Isuke hadn't heard much news about what was going on behind those white walls of the castle lately. All he pretty much knew was that he was sending out scouts to look for the Princess.
The King is so blind...did it ever cross his mind that it's the Sheikah that kidnapped her?
Isuke was suddenly struck with an idea. If the King wouldn't attack the Sheikah...he knew a way to make him. He jumped back into the river then, kicking off a rock, sped through the waters towards Kokiri Forest.
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Link walked to the clearing where the Deku Tree was, and smiled slightly as he put a hand in the old tree. "Great Deku Tree...my friend. Are you well?"
"Link...I feel my power failing," the Deku Tree said sadly. "The Sheikah's killing is attacking the very life of Hyrule itself."
"No! Deku Tree! Don't tell me-"
"Link...you must stop the Sheikah."
"But how? I could barely beat Spiaze, and most of the Sheikah are as strong as him, even better. How can I defend Hyrule against such a threat?"
"Link...it is one that leads them. If you destroy that one, the rest will flee. The Sheikah cannot exist without a leader. They are a race of 'shadows'."
"What? That means that..."
"Yes. It is not a Sheikah that leads them."
"Who leads them then?"
"I do not know. What I do know, however, is that the Sheikah have Zelda."
"What?!" Link swore at his own stupidity. "I should have known. She's alive, right?"
"Yes. Y-"
Link didn't let him finish, he turned and started to run off.
"Link. Do not turn from me as I still speak."
"What is it?!" Link said angrily, but then blinked, surprised at his own rudeness to the Great Deku Tree.
The Deku Tree didn't seem to bother going into that. "Link, the Sheikah have found out how to track to the power of the Master Sword. If you get close to their fortress, they will know."
"I planned on letting them know anyway," Link spat.
"Foolish boy!" The Deku Tree yelled angrily.
Link was taken back by this sudden outburst, as the Great Tree hardly did such things.
"You said yourself, you are not able to defend yourself against that many Sheikah."
Link understood, and bowed. "Forgive me Great Deku Tree, I should not have been disrespectful. I understand."
The Deku Tree's branches rustled, shaking slightly, and an object fell from them, sticking into the ground. Link walked over to it. The Kokiri Sword. It was like just looking at his old blade opened the doors of his mind and let memories flood in. In spite of everything going on, he couldn't help but smile at the sword as he grasped it. It looked so small to him now, and he had remembered it being much larger.
Link slid it into his belt, a looked up at the Deku Tree.
"Thank you, O Great Deku Tree."
He un-strapped his sheath from his back and placed the Master Sword in front of the the Deku Tree, where it faded away.
"I will guard it well, child. Now, go."
Link nodded and ran from the clearing.
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Through the bleak darkness that engulfed the forest, Isuke saw a lone flickering light in the distance, and trained his eyes on it, using it to lead him through the thick forest. He eventually made it out, and walked over to the tree house, then climbed up the ladder and stepped through the door, pushing the sheets away. As soon as he stepped in, he found a curved blade at held to his neck.
"Oh, it's just you," Rittowa muttered, pulling her sword away.
"Nice to see you too," Isuke said, rolling his eyes. He noticed the sleeping bundle on the bed and asked, "What's with the kid?"
"That's Miroku," Zara replied, her eyes heavy.
Sheik was just sitting in the corner, not muttering a word.
Isuke blinked and touched the child's hair. "It's all...leafy."
"He began his transformation into a Skull Kid when we found him."
"Heh, it looks pretty funny."
Isuke heard the shiiing! of a sword being drawn from its sheath, and turned to see Rittowa holding a sword to Link's neck, who had just stepped through the door, and he had a short sword held to hers. They both dropped their weapons and Link looked at the zora.
"Isuke... took you long enough," Link said, walking past him.
"Well, everyone is just full of nice greetings this evening."
Link opened up a chest in the back of the room, and began looking through it.
"How is Malon?"
"She ... wasn't there, Link."
Link stood up and looked at Isuke. "She wasn't at Zora's Domain?!"
Isuke shook his head. "I'm sorry."
The warrior clenched his fist tightly and turned back to the chest, grabbing things from it again.
"What's going on, Link?" Zara asked.
"The Sheikah have Zelda, I'm going to Lon Lon Ranch to save her. I just know that they have Malon too."
"What?" Isuke blinked. "Princess Zelda really is there?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, I had an idea to get Hyrule to attack the Sheikah's fortress. That idiot of a king is ignoring everything that is going on to find his daughter. I just thought all we'd have to do is tell him that she's there."
"Hmmm..." Sheik looked thoughtful. "Indeed, we could use it to get the Princess out of there. We could use the King's army to divert the Sheikah's attention and get in there, find Princess Zelda, and get out."
"All that would come of that is a massacre of the Hylian army," Link stated grimly. "They cannot defeat such a powerful enemy until their forces have been weakened. And we would still need the help of the Gorons and the Zoras."
"What are you going to do then?" Isuke asked.
"Sneak in. Infiltrate the fortress and find Zelda, then get her out. Of course, not before weakening their defenses."
By now he had found everything he sought. Link had a belt with throwing knives attached it, a small brown pouch with the explosive substance the lakeside Doctor had given him, and a pack of deku nuts. He looked around his room, then ripped down his black curtains and held them out to Zara.
"Can your magic turn these into clothes for me?"
Zara gave him a weird look. "What?"
"I need dark clothes; it'll help me go unnoticed."
"Oh...of course. I'll see what I can do."
She looked at him, seeming to study him, then took the curtains and put her rod over them. In a small flash, they had been ripped and stuck back together in certain places, forming a not-so-perfect ninja outfit.
"Try it on. I think it will fit."
Link nodded, and, taking the garment, went outside. After a few minutes, everyone heard the sound of horseshoes beating against the ground. Isuke poked his head from the tree house and saw Link riding away on Epona.
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Wow, a lot of dialogue on that chappie....sorry. But it was necessary. The next chapter shall be much better, as it will contain lots of sneaking, killing, and other such things.
Next time on Rise of the Sheikah: Metal Gear Solid, Zelda style!
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o.o;