Yay! Thanks Ri2 for being the first commenter! Your guess was very close to what I have planned… Keep reading:D

Anyway, here is the next chapter, and this new 'conspiracy' group is thinking that they might have to change tactics…


Chapter 1

The Conspiracy

By Saber88


Lady Tendra howled in rage at the two failures, "What were you thinking?" blue lightning was expelled and shot forward from her fingertips, landing upon the pair of damaged and disfigured bodies, making them convulse in agony.

All morning she had been at it, torturing Earcu and Rogth for their failure to complete a simple task. Now, her fury had no fuel, and she cast them out, leaving them for her other two servants, also of high status, to deal with their numerous wounds with the painful healing mixture.

Do not fail me again!

The sorceress slumped against the wall, all her power expended; she closed her eyes, head tipping back. She had underestimated the boy – or overestimated the strengths of fellows. It was not going to happen again.


And thus, then, the group met yet again in the small dark room, lit only by the Lady's magical mage-light.

As before, Tendra looked at each in turn, "You all know what has happened. I think it's a divine time to change tactics." She whispered darkly, golden irises flicking back and forth as Earcu, the griffon, ruffled his jet feathers anxiously and Rogth chocked in remembered pain.

The sorceress turned to one of the men who wore deep brown robes as before, "What are the relations between the three Triforce bearers, Orth?"

The man, who's name was obviously Orth, replied, voice hissing, "The Princessss Zelda, We are led to believe, has sssent thisss Link character to sssave Hyrule from Ganondorf, the ssso called 'evil' man trying to gain complete control – ssso far, he made hiss cassstle near the place Cassstle Town usssed to be. Now the land has been perverted, dead creaturesss living, creaturesss that will anssswer his every beck and call." The man paused, pondering.

"What about him?" The women questioned.

"I think he, of the three, is the ssstrongest, and we already know that the adolescent isss sssomewhere deep in the Fire Temple…" He looked at Rogth, who cringed involuntarily.

"And the Princess…?"

"Ssshe, currently, asss my sourcesss sssay, is disssguised asss a Sssheikah, calling herself 'Sssheik'. We don't know where ssshe is resssiding, but the princessss teachesss Link new and magical Ocarina sssongsss every time he is about to enter a new Temple. Ssso we were thinking, that after thisss fool finishesss off – if he can mange- thisss dragon-"

"-in the temple, he will probably go to the next, and that's when we'll capture the idiot princess!" concluded the women enthusiastically, smiling devilishly, "I like it."

Orth seemed to bask in the praise for a moment, but his thoughts were shattered when she asked, "Who is going?"

Hurridly, the cloaked person said, "Earcu, for sssure, he'll have to carry off the 'Sssheik', as for Link," he chuckled hoarsly, "I can deal with him. Ssshall I capture him asss well?"

"No – I have a better idea…" The tone of the sorceress's voice was smooth, one you'd expect from a lover, but deadly. "You will not lay a clawed paw upon him."

With a meek head bow, the griffon, along with Orth, left the room.


Time proceeded as expected, and Link managed to defeat Volvegia without much conflict or injury. He heard that there was some distress near Hylia Lake, and was riding there upon one of Hyrule's swiftest equines, Epona.

Link dangled a carrot in front of her nose, and the mare greedily consumed it, speeding up with a whinny as the adolescent smacked her on the rump.

Epon soared over the iron fences and into the region of Hylia Lake…

All the water was gone!

Link gaped around him and climbed off his steed. "What in the name of all heavenly…?"

He began walking around the strange house near where the water used to reach up to, and ran across the bridge to the center of the lake where there was – used- to be a small island. He was about to walk on a strange Triforce-decorated pedestal when he heard a soft plunk behind him. Whirling around, he saw the Sheikah, as he had thrice before.

"You."

'He' nodded and walked up to him, once again holding out a strange harp, "Link-"

Sheik paused, staring over the Hylian's shoulder.

Link turned around, "Hmm? What?"

The Sheikah suddenly lunged at him from behind, throwing the young adult to the ground, smothering him in the mud, "Get down!" 'He' shrieked.

Perplexed, Link threw the body off him and stumbled back to his feet, grime coated onto his clothing. He looked down at it, wrinkling his nose in disgust, "Ick! Sheik, what the he-"

He never even got a chance to finish his sentence before he was thrown forward, nearly sliding off the small island.

A screech was heard, and above a feathered beast circled, making ready for another dive.

The griffon!

Link scrambled back up to see the other 'man' looking to the zenith, mesmerized by the bird-lion monstrosity.

As the griffon dove again, the young man moved to shove the Sheikah out of the way, but was, in return, shoved back by a dark shape – this time, not so lucky, he slid right down the muck-covered sides of the earth, and plopping into the remaining water at the bottom of Lake Hylia.

A chocolate-coloured cloaked form flew down after him, landing at the edge of the water, waiting for Link to regain his composure.

Above there was a surprisingly feminine scream and a holler of triumph from the griffin as it wheeled into the air, his fore claws digging into Sheik's shoulders, carrying 'him' away, 'he' shouted frantically at Link, but he was unable to understand what was said.

Link cursed and was about to follow, when he was pushed back into the water by Lady Tendra's servant.

Hate gleamed in its crimson ocular, and the teen could just imagine what this creature's face would look like – contorted in horrible rage.

Link looked at the man and asked angrily, "Who are you?"

He responded, "Your worssst nightmare!" there was a pale gleam – easily from incisors easily elongated to roughly an inch long.

This is no human…

Link was about to rolls his eyes at the poor comeback when the humanoid silhouetted ripped off his robes with a roar, scattering the shreds on the light wind current.

Link's eyes widened and his throat tightened in genuine fear as he backed up, deeper into the water.

What he looked upon was a bat-like creature. It had leathery wings and a pair of curled horns protruding from its cranium. Pallid ash-coloured scales lined its body, and two muscular and feral legs at the bottom. His feet were clawed, looking similar to the lizard man's. His arms bulged as he threw them in the air, howling in glory along with the gale that swept across Hylia Lake, rain pounding down suddenly. The sun seemed to wink out of existence and hide from the abomination.

Link gazed up, and further up, petrified. The only thought that crossed his mind and continued to ring was Demon!

Demon!

Demon.

Demon…

Link closed his eyes from the pain of a strong emotionand readied his sword, believing nothing short of a miracle could save him now.


Well… Sorta a cliff hanger, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to post the next chapter soon. I know vaguely what will happen, but I'll easily put that into words.

Sorry for the shortness – err, I wanted to get the chapter up in case I never got a chance later on.


Whoa! I have done a lot since I resumed writing for I've put up… five chapters, redid all the chapters in my other story so far, all in two days! xD

I want to know if my effort is worth it – please review!


Saber88