You guys are lucky I have friends who really want to read this. One went back and reviewed "For the Sake of the World" over again so I could have my ten reviews and continue.
HELLO: Lol, I can tell.
HELLO: So I see.
HELLO: XD Yes, it certainly is that.
HELLO: That's a good thing.
Then there're reviews for this story.
Fire god101: Thanks for saying. Hee hee, I know I'm evil. Figured it would be a great way to get reviews. It didn't work.
Dragon-Charmer16: Whew, good thing Kaze isn't here right now… He's not going to like this chapter. And Link won't be too happy around Chapter 12, then he'll be ecstatic. Lots is going to happen to Hieke… Saria's death is the least of our troubles.
JMG: Hear that, everyone? You're being threatened!
HELLO: (gives candy)
HELLO: You are never done. (evil grin)
Ilovelink: Yup, I am the Mistress of Cliffhangers! Ph34r m3! X3
Okay, news! I updated my website! You can still get there from my profile, under "home page". Enjoy the pictures and here's Chapter 8, what happened to the Guardian Tree!
Chapter 8: Deception
Gone. The Guardian Tree was simply not there anymore. Kaze ran to the ground where the great Tree once slumbered. "B-but… big ol' trees don't just up and leave! Where did she go!" he demanded, pacing around the whole of the Sacred Ground.
"Link, be careful," Malon warned. "There's a great evil here…" James took out his slingshot and loaded it with an exploded pellet. Link drew his sword halfheartedly. James could see that he was deeply upset. Hieke meant a lot to him, he thought. It's only natural to be sad when your best friend goes missing… Unintentionally he turned to Malon. The redhead gave him a sliver of a smile, then moved to comfort Link.
There came an echoing laughter from above. The small assemblage looked up to see the Guardian Tree floating high in the air with a large piece of earth attached to its roots. Upon that chunk of ground stood a relatively short figure with dark hair and black eyes. He wore a smirk similar to Kaze's and stood in a manner not unlike Link's.
"Hello, my friends!" the man said with a flourish. "My name is Kuro!" He jumped down from the Tree, his black cloak trailing behind him. It seemed that there wasn't an inch of his body that wasn't dark in some way. Malon and James stared at the man, their eyes set into harsh glares.
"What, no greeting? Not even a smile?" Kuro said in a disappointed voice. Link, Kaze, and James scowled at him. Kuro huffed and made a hand gesture towards the Tree, resulting in it lowering closer to the ground. "Gonna borrow your friend here," he announced as he patted the massive trunk.
"Get your filthy hands off of her!" Link commanded, lunging with his sword. Kuro drew a sword of dark light and countered the blow with ease. "Pathetic," he smiled. Link fell to his knees, resting his weight upon his hands. His golden-bladed sword clattered to the ground beside him. "Weakling," Kuro sneered. "Bow before the power which is your own personal evil…"
Kaze, seeing that his friend would make no move to rise, moved to help him. But one glance from Kuro froze him to the place. "I… can't fight this," he breathed as his shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes. James watched with awestruck eyes, unable to believe that his warrior companions would surrender so easily.
"Leave them alone!" he shouted as he took aim with his slingshot. Kuro blinked and laughed at the boy. "Your own evils shall devour you!" he cried as he thrust his arms above his head. Images began to fill James' mind…
"Oh, hello, James!" Malon greeted happily. "I'm so glad to hear that you're going to be making a home in Hyrule!"
James nodded. "I'll build a nice house for myself out by that wall," he explained as he pointed to the stone wall that divided Lon Lon Ranch from the plains. Malon nodded. "Why are you moving so near to the ranch, James?" she asked.
"Well," the ex-Bomber muttered, his eyes downcast. "Well, I love you, Malon. And I'd like to be close to you." Malon's face became a mask of disgust. "James, how could you say that?" she said, shaking her head. "I could never love a child like you! Go die!"
James collapsed to the ground, whimpering quietly. Malon crouched beside him, asking what was wrong. Kuro released a thunderous laugh to the heavens. He turned to the Guardian Tree with a wide smile. "Looks like these fools have tasted my darkness," he chuckled. "Good thing you're locked up in that tree, right, my dear? Couldn't have you scampering about and meddling around in my brilliant plans, could we?" He and the Tree disappeared into the cloud-mottled sky.
Link, put his hand to his head, hiding his tear-streaked face from his friends. He sobbed slightly, then caught himself. It wasn't real, he assured himself. Such a thing would never come to pass! Kaze stood next. "Ooh, my head!" he groaned. Malon looked at the two, then to the place where Kuro departed.
"Guys, something's weird about that man," she said as she helped James to his feet. "You're telling me!" Kaze snapped. "He just looked at me… and it was like all my strength left my body. And I got these terrible visions that Hieke was being brutally slaughtered, and…" His voice trailed off, unable to word the horrors he saw. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to drive the memories away.
"Really?" Malon asked curiously. "I didn't feel anything." Link froze in a moment of realization, then turned to the redhead. "What did you just say?" he inquired.
"I didn't feel anything," Malon repeated. Link raised an eyebrow. "I thought you could detect evil?" he reminded. The ranch hand nodded vigorously. "That's exactly my point! Now that I think about it, I didn't sense anything from him the first time either. Despite what it seems… Kuro hasn't a trace of evil in his soul. Less so than even you, Link!"
Kaze snickered. "Dude, one-upped by a villain," he grinned. Link rolled his eyes, indicating for him to be silent. "So… who's the bad guy when the bad guy isn't bad?" James asked. There was a long moment of silence.
"Well, he did something," Link muttered. "Something that left us all weak… defenseless." Kaze shook his head. "It's like he draws his power from the evils of other people, no matter how slight they may be. And that evil manifests itself as visions of our greatest fears as it robs us of our strength…"
"Kaze, oh my goddesses!" Link blurted. The young thief looked at his friend with eyes wide from surprise. "You said something intelligent!" the hero laughed. "Actually," Malon said ponderously, "it makes good sense. That would explain why I didn't feel any evil from him."
James nodded. "He somehow looks into your mind and finds what you fear the most, then shows it to you," he elaborated. "He takes your greatest inner evils, your personal demons, and makes them all come true. Well, true for whoever is seeing it."
Link looked to the darkened sky where the Guardian Tree and Kuro had once been. "Hieke!" he shouted as a soft rain began to fall, gathering intensity by the second. "Hieke, come back! Please, just come back!"
Kaze bowed his head and Malon and James fell silent. Link's breaths came in shudders, and he soon gave up calling for his dear friend. "Darnit, Hieke! Why can't you just come back when we need you!" he cried one last time.
"You want your friend returned to you?" asked a cryptic voice from behind them.
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Who's there and can he bring Hieke back? Well, next chapter: HIEKE'S RETURN! But something's wrong… What is it? I only want five this time! Hear me? Just FIVE! Go review now! n.n I'll be waiting!
