Chapter 4 : Trapped in Dreamland
"Oh no… not again." Link thought to himself as he looked at his surroundings. Another strange dream perhaps? Nothing seemed real anymore. Link was standing ankle deep in a sea of water, stretching on forever into the distance. Link looked around at the gray mist that was sky. His heart was beating calmly, the rhythm drumming into his pained temples. His temples… His head hurt him. If he wasn't looking at his own reflection in the water, he was sure that there was someone squeezing his head between their hands.
"Why does it hurt so much? I don't understand anymore.." Link sat down, sloshing in the water, the cold wetness soaking his legs through his tunic. He couldn't remember much of the past days, weeks, what time it was or how long he had been in this place.
Lying down in the water, Link closed his eyes. He could almost hear seagulls in the distance, a flickering sunlight dancing across his closed eyelids.
"Lets see now. I was trying to find Navi… yeah, that's it. I wish I knew where she was… maybe she could shed some light on my confusion hehehe." Link thought to himself, sighing comfortably in the soothing cool that was the water. He had left Termina so long ago, and had lost Navi's trail in the forest. They were supposed to meet by their secret spot in the forest and then leave Hyrule together to seek out… well whatever. They were going to live. Link would be free from the duties of a hero, of a girl who was convinced that he loved her, many actually, and hardships that his only friend could share with him.
Zelda… It had been a while since he had thought of her. Since they were young he had known her. She seemed to have a crush on him from the beginning, but he was just happy to have a friend. Why would he ever marry Zelda? She was nothing but trouble really, the damsel in distress, the stalker. He didn't need a lover, he could use a confidant at the moment though.
Feeling a sudden vibration by his head, Link opened one eye, looking up into a clear blue sky, wisps of white cloud floating by on one of the sweetest breezes Link had ever had the privilege of breathing. Link looked around by his head. Standing atop the water, armor clinking as he moved, was a man much the same height of Link if he were standing. Link stared unblinkingly into those blank eyes, the white hair hanging down by the man's face covering colored tribal symbols underneath his eyes.
"Link, why do you lie here? You should be awake and moving remember? You're the hero aren't you? Or am I speaking to the wrong Link?" Fierce deity said, smiling a fanged smile down upon the boy. Link lifted himself out of the water, dripping down his back, his hood falling off his mussed brown blonde head. Picking up his hood from the water and wringing it out in his hands Link whispered to the man, almost afraid to hear his own voice.
"I am Link. I .. I didn't know what else to do but lie. I'm a little confused. Sir, who are you? Where am I? Why cant I remember anything?" sighed Link, looking up hopefully at the man. Fierce deity sat down upon the water, grass rippling out from under him as he hit the ground to cover the landscape in a forest's carpet. The trees that now loomed overhead were filled with birdsong and familiar smells. Link couldn't believe himself, this all had to be a dream.
"Link do you have ANY idea who I am? I can explain where you are, but you must have some control over your thoughts to understand any of it. Not even when you stare at my face? Familiar at all?" laughed Fierce Deity, ruffling Link's hood and placing a gauntleted hand under his chin, forcing the confused elf boy to look him in the eyes.
"You look .. vaguely familiar… I remember seeing a face like yours a long time ago." Link said, poking the man in the forehead to make sure he was real. The white haired man smiled, placing a hand on Link's shoulder, the other hand rubbing at one of his temples where Link had felt pain before.
"Link I am Fierce Deity. I am the mask you wear." Laughed the man, Links head suddenly pounding with pain. Brushing the man aside, Link clutched at his head moaning.
"A.. Auughh.. Why does it hurt me? You're a mask? Ma… Mask.. The Mask from Termina! It cant be!" Link starred in painful horror at the man before him, the smile on his face sickeningly distorted with a manic twinge. His features were shadowed in the now barren landscape, the sky above him thundering ominously.
"You cannot take the mask off from here. I control you now little green boy." Fierce deity crooned, pacing around the moaning Link as he jerked around in pain. "You have been in this world of my making , trapped in the back of MY mind for almost six years now. Your quest for your fairy friend is long forgotten, and I am forcing you to head back to Hyrule."
Link turned furious eyes upon his captor, reaching for his sword, to which he found none. Lunging at him wildly, Link punched Fierce Deity square in the face, the man turning towards him as he stumbled back with a mad grin .
"YOU DARE ATTACK ME! Hahahah oh Link! I thought you were smarter than THIS! I mean dear boy! You are in a world of MY making! Do you think you can beat me here! REALLY! You must be mad!" shouted Fierce Deity, answering Link's hit with a punch to his ribcage. Doubled up in pain, Link wobbled on his feet, Fierce Deity turning swiftly, sweeping his long legs beneath Link, Link falling with a loud thud on to the ground. Trying to pull himself up, Link was thrown aside by a sharp kick to the stomach, rolling over the brittle grass, his hood yanked off his head by a stomping metal boot.
"Stop moving you little pest and let me kill you!" Fierce Deity laughed, grabbing Link by the hair, jerking him upwards and smacking him in the jaw with his metal plated fist. Link spluttered blood off to the side, turning a murderous gaze at him, slamming his fist into his armor plated chest, recoiling to hug his hand to himself.
"Hahahahah! Hurts don't it? Ooo you pathetic little worm. You cannot beat me. For one thing you're definetly not dressed for it Hahaha!" Fierce Deity whispered into Link's ear, yanking on the collar of his Tunic. Link glared up furiously at him, a trail of blood running down the corner of his mouth.
"You.. You trapped me here.. Why? WHY! What did I do! GET OUT OF MY BODY!" Link yelled, head butting him, rolling off to the side as Fierce Deity clutched his head in pain.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT! AUUGH! FUCK! That's it, I'm done playing with you little boy." he shouted, Link leaping to his feet, hands at the ready to attack him again.
"You're nothing compared to half of the villains I've fought." Link said smiling slyly as Fierce Deity approached him menacingly.
"Tch. The villains you've faught cant do THIS!" He shouted, waving his hands up and around, a flare of green sparks flying from his fingers, the earth parting beneath Link as thorned vines shot forth from the ground. Link's eyes opened in shock as he struggled to free himself from the vines, wrapping tightly around his ankles and up his legs. Shrieking with Laughter, Fierce deity watched in amusement as Link was wrapped up helplessly in the vines, thorns piercing his tunic, trails of blood running down his neck, chest, and arms.
"Ahh..ugnn.. Grrr! How are you doing this you…OOF!" shouted Link, body jerking to the side as Fierce Deity punched him in the stomach, thorns digging into his skin.
"Shut up and stay quiet. I'm going to be generous mister hero. I have been trying to help you. All those years you were the silent hero, now it's my turn to voice your opinions. This violent side of you is something the world has never seen, especially when it's rampaging through a village!" Fierce Deity said, walking around the struggling Link, waving a hand in the air, an image of Link slaughtering villagers dancing through the air. Link opened his eyes wide, watching helplessly as the imposter in his body killed innocent villagers, the screams echoing throughout the hollow room that was his prison.
"No.. NO! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS! PLEASE! PLEASE STOP FIERCE DEITY!" Link shouted, Fierce Deity snapping his fingers, the vines wrapping around his mouth, Link mumbling into the plant.
"Link Link Link. I'm doing all of this for you! Dear boy, it's time the world was shown who you really are."
"Mim'mot mike mat! MATS MOT EE!" Link mumbled around a mouthful of plant. Grabbing Link harshly by the hair, Fierce Deity glared at Link square in the eyes, the image behind them disappearing.
"I'M YOU NOW! So you're just going to sit here and enjoy the ride. Got that? I hope you're comfortable Link, because you're going to be here for a while… Hehehe.. Hey Link?" Fierce Deity mused to himself, walking away into the empty distance. Link glared at him with tearful eyes, blood dripping from his palms and onto the floor.
"Do you think queens scream differently than normal women when you cut off their heads?" Fierce Deity whispered, laughing manically as he disappeared into the mist, Link mumbling sorrowfully into his bonds, whishing for a miracle.
Zelda… please beware. I'm coming to get you and I cant stop myself! This time… I need a hero, so I can be the hero….