A/N: Time for another chappie!!! YAYNESS!!!
Link: (looks at the sock puppet Skye Agony gave him) O.o
SSG: Aw... How CUTE!!! Let's call him Derek! 8D
Link: -.-;; Hello, Derek...
XD Chappie time!!
Rise of the Heroine of Time: Chapter 3: A "Fair" Warning
The moon disappeared over the mountains, and morning came quietly. As the attendants worked to suit up the king and queen for the day, a quiet conversation was going on between the two.
-I'm worried about Florence, Link,- Zelda sent worriedly. -Why won't she tell us?-
-She's a young woman now, Zelda. A grown-up,- Link responded. -She needs to deal with things herself.-
-But I only wish to help her...-
-As do I, but we need to accept the fact that she's growing up, and won't need our help as much anymore.-
Zelda sighed deeply. -If only we...-
"AHA!!" a voice cried out quite loudly. "I HAVE IT!!"
"Eh?" Link looked towards the doorway, confused. "Wasn't that Florence...?"
As if to answer his question, Florence rushed through the doorway, greeting them with, "I solved it all by myself!"
"Solved what?" asked Link.
Zelda sent attendants out, then approached Florence. "Florence, you must tell us why you've been acting the way you have the last couple of days."
The excitement on Florence's face faded when she saw the concerned look on Zelda's face. She took her mother's hands in hers, eyes full of apology.
"Mother... I'm so deeply sorry," she apologized. "I shouldn't have avoided you these past days, but..."
"Florence," Zelda stopped her softly. "You are already forgiven. Just tell us why."
Florence let out a sigh of relief and explained everything. "I've been having nightmares lately... prophetic dreams... And I know you said reading dreams was a weak spot of mine, but... I wanted to try and figure it out myself... I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it..."
Zelda listened quietly, and a warm smile showed that she had forgiven her. "I understand."
"So what were these dreams, then?" Link asked. "And what do they mean?"
Florence paused, straining to remember. "They... They were all different images... Jumbled up pictures of different things... There were signs of evil; dark clouds, monsters... Then there were images of Hyrule itself, every corner of it... Then there were signs of death; war, massacres, and so on... All these pictures didn't fit at first, but I was able to fit them together and come up with the answer."
"Oh..." Zelda hesitated, not knowing whether to be happy or afraid. "Well, I'm proud of you, Florence, for figuring it out yourself, but... what is the answer?"
Florence lowered her gaze, then said heavily, "Evil is coming. It is an old enemy, out for revenge, and if it isn't stopped, it could mean the destruction of Hyrule."
An eerie silence followed her cryptic words.
"An old enemy... out for revenge..." Link softly repeated, locking eyes with Zelda.
"Could it be...?" she whispered.
Suddenly, there was loud and frantic banging on the door, breaking the silence abruptly. Zelda gasped and held Link fearfully. Florence cautiously grabbed a small knife off a table and approached the door. Raising the small knife, she threw open the door...
... and found a cowering guard in the doorway. Hastily she withdrew the knife and exclaimed, "What're you doing!? You nearly scared us to death!"
"I-I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesties," he bowed and apologized, almost out of breath. "But I bring urgent news! The marketplace is under attack! A dark sorcerer is terrorizing the town! Something must be done!"
The three straightened up in utter shock. A dark sorcerer!? No... it couldn't be!
"Go guard the gates! He must NOT invade the castle!" Link swiftly ordered, and at his command, the soldier bowed and rushed away.
"What'll we do?" cried Zelda.
"We investigate the situation, that's what," Link answered, approaching his weapon cabinet. "And if it really IS him, he WILL be dealt with."
The girls exchanged uneasy glances, but eventually nodded. Zelda followed Florence as she went to retrieve her bow, leaving Link alone. His assurance belied his own doubts, but determination flashed clearly in his eyes as the bitter hatred began to bubble up. As he strapped the Master Sword around his waist, he had a feeling deep down that ruling over Hyrule will soon become a very difficult task. Much more difficult than before.
(...)
The dark magician watched the fleeing Hylians in glee as he continued to shoot blasts of dark energy at the ground. Tiles laid smashed and scattered on the ground, and the Hylians began retreating into homes and alleyways.
"That's it! Run, you cowards!" he cackled. "Run if you can! I'll wipe your entire race off the face of the earth!"
He continued his destruction, until among the cries of terror, a clear, loud voice yelled out his name in complete fury.
"GANONDORF!!!!"
The floating King of Evil turned away from his fleeing targets sharply. From the castle a man, followed by two others, ran towards him, sword drawn. Even from a distance, Ganondorf could see the rage in his bright blue eyes. But it wasn't only that that was familiar to the warlock. The sword this enraged man held was no doubt the blade of evil's bane: the Master Sword.
It was Link, the Hero of Time, who approached him, completely furious and hateful. The epicenter of all Ganondorf's hate was coming right at him.
"GANONDORF!!!" he shouted once more. "YOU DUNG-HEADED, ICE-BLOODED, DRIED-UP SON-OF-A-SICK GANON!!! BLACK-HEARTED, AIR-WALKING--!!!"
"My, my," Ganondorf was not at all fazed, yet amused by Link's furious insults, as he leered down at the hero with his arms crossed. "It's been over twenty years, and the hero still cannot control his outrageous temper!"
"GO RECOGNIZE A MOBLIN, YOU TWISTED, MAGIC-SPURTING BAG OF WIND!!" Link shook a fist. "JUST WHO IN THE GREAT GODDESSES' BLESSINGS DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, TERRORIZING MY KINGDOM!?!?"
Ganondorf raised a brow at this comment, and pointed a single finger towards the angry Link.
"I'm warning youuoOOOAAAHHH!!!" Link shouted in surprise as his feet were suddenly lifted off the ground. The crowd below shouted in surprise as Ganondorf levitated him up until they met at eye level. Link hovered perfectly still, as Ganondorf's magic made it impossible to move. He scowled viciously at his most-hated nemesis.
"YOUR kingdom!?" Ganondorf growled. "Since when did Hyrule become YOUR kingdom!?"
Link growled in response. Ganondorf took notice of the small, silver crown he wore under his bangs, and his scowl turned into a smirk.
"Well, well, the hero's become the King of Hyrule," he said cruelly. "This is some news! Well, this gives me all the more reason to kill you!!!"
He waved the hand he used to levitate Link viciously, magically hitting Link across the face and knocking him down into a pile of crates. He cried out in pain as he landed on the crates, reducing many of them to piles of splintered wood. The crowd began to panic, but Ganondorf didn't care in the least about them anymore as he levitated Link up once more from the pile of shattered wood. Though his whole entire body ached, he gave the evil warlock the same intensified glare. Ganondorf looked back spitefully, yet also thoughtfully as he mentally searched his enemy's mind for a weakness.
And he found one.
"Ah, so you've learned how to send, eh?" he mocked, the most wicked grin forming on his face. "Pity for you- your ability to send puts your life into my hands!"
Suddenly, Ganondorf blasted Link with a send that nearly tore his very soul apart. It pierced into every fiber of his body like knives, and his head began to pound endlessly. He let out a scream of pain, and the cruel grin on Ganondorf's face only grew. As he continued with the torture, he cackled mockingly down at the cowering citizens.
"I have the power to rip your king's mind in two!" he cackled. "I- AAHH!!"
A shimmering arrow had buried itself into his shoulder, radiating sparks of golden light. Below, Florence held her bow in her trembling hands, eyes full of terror.
The magical Light Arrow had drastic effects on the warlock, as his magic suddenly disappeared. Link's torture ended, and he dropped out of the air like a stone. A nasty cracking noise was heard as he landed on his side, and he laid on the ground, motionless.
"LINK!!" Zelda cried, rushing to his side, Florence following. Link cringed in pain as she tenderly took his hand in hers. -Link, are you alright?- she sent worriedly.
-Z-Zelda...?- came a weak response. -I-it hurts everywhere...-
Zelda held him close with a dry sob.
Ganondorf still, hovered in the air, clutching his wound. His plans had suddenly changed, but at least he could still deliver his warning.
"Hear me, Hyrule!!" he proclaimed, pointing a finger down at the fallen hero. "His pain is but a taste of the terror I shall unleash upon your land! Soon the land of Hyrule shall be mine!"
He cackled once more. Florence shot another Light Arrow, but he suddenly disappeared, and the arrow flew through thin air.
"MADMAN!!" she shouted, shaking a fist. "He will PAY with his cursed blood!!"
"Not now!" cried Zelda, heaving Link into her arms. "We must get your father some help, and quick!"
The two began their run towards the castle, but then stopped as they looked back to see the apprehensive look on their people's faces.
"Citizens of Hyrule, please remain calm!" Zelda proclaimed as hastily as she could. "We will soon settle the sudden attack, I promise! Just please do NOT panic until further news is given!"
And with that, the two left the bewildered crowd behind. As the two approached Hyrule Castle, Florence was silent in thought, and Link groaned in pain.
"Hush, beloved..." Zelda tried to soothe him.
-Zelda... My head... Still pounds... hurts...-
Zelda, knowing what to do, placed two fingers upon his forehead, and with this gentle touch, the pain magically vanished. Link let out a deep sigh and rested silently in Zelda's arms. She smiled softly, then looked up at her daughter.
"Florence, what's wrong?"
The princess hesitated in her answer. "Ganondorf... I've never known anyone so evil... And Father..." She looked down at Link. "I've never seen him so furious... So agitated... So full of hate..."
Zelda sighed. "Your father's always hated all forms of evil... And Ganondorf has to be the most sinister of all evil forms..." She glanced over her husband. "It's a good thing you shot that arrow in time, or he'd be dead now..."
"What was Ganondorf using to hurt him anyway?"
"It's a skill evil magic-users use against their enemies... a skill we call 'Black-sending.'"
"Black-sending?"
"Yes. It's a way to turn your enemy's send against them, to break them from the inside. Thankfully, Ganondorf didn't get a chance to fully break him when you planted the arrow in him."
"B-but I didn't kill him!" stuttered Florence, glancing down at her hands. "I aimed for his heart, but my hands were trembling so much..."
"Do not worry, Florence," Zelda comforted. "Ganondorf will be dealt with soon enough. Right now, let's get back to the castle and help your father..."
A/N: Well, whaddya guys think?
SSG: GREAT!!!! :) Can't wait for next chappie!!
Link: (stares at the sock puppet) Why do I have this thing again?
SA gave it to you so you didn't feel lonely.
Link: Well, it's not helping...
OH WELL. LEARN TO LIKE IT, YOU UNGRATEFUL CAD!! Ahem... anyway...
Link: T.T;;;
SSG: REVIEW!!!
Yes! Review, peoples!!
