…This is what I'm talking about, people! I go to bed with three reviews and wake up with flippin' THIRTEEN! Let's get respondin'!
JMG: Don't worry, I got my reviews. Lots of 'em, too. Yah, typos, we all get 'em. Especially when we don't look at the keyboard when we type, right?
Ihatereading: If you hate reading, why are you reviewing a second time, JMG?
Fire god101: Glad you like it!
Dragon-Charmer16: This is the one who makes up the bulk of my reviews! Goin' all the way back to Chapter 16 of "For the Sake of the World": Yup, coming back. Continuation is GOD! Well, maybe not… (17) Heheheh… Better throw some water wings in there for Link! (1, Face Your Demons) Jim, James, Jimmy, BOB! Muahahahahahaha! (2) Well, actually… Everything's gonna get a little… eh, evil for Hieke for a while. (3) YAY, SPANIARDS! (5) Useless arm, ha hah! It'll get better, though… (6) Dark Link and Shiek? Never been done before! GO FOR IT! Muahahahahaha! Oi, and the Dark Moblins are nothing… There's worse on the way. I thought I already talked about the Grand Moblins? (7) You guys are weird! Entertaining, though, I'll give you that. You oughta write a humor fic! (8) Well, yeah. Malon's right. It'll end well this time. Cool it, Gerudo boy! She's coming back this chapter! Well, at least you got to review, yes? (nod)
Okay, that's that! Coming soon to the Companion: a picture of adult Hieke and a picture of Kaze drawn by Dragon-Charmer16! Now, ONTO THE STORY!
Chapter 9: Doll
Link whipped around, tears stinging at his eyes. "Wythe!" he gasped, drawing his blade and readying himself for battle. The evil man laughed and waved Link off. "No, no. I'm not here to fight with you. I merely want to know how badly you want your little friend back," he explained.
"Like you could return her!" Kaze spat, his own weapon in hand. James pulled out his slingshot, but poor Malon was left dizzy from the evil that radiated from the man. "Oh, but I could," Wythe said enticingly. "I'm very strong, you see. Besides, we need that girl free." He pulled a leather-bound book with an ivory emblem from his robes and tapped at the cover. "We can't procure the Staff of Nightmares with her sleeping inside that wretched piece of lumber."
"Don't talk about Hieke that way!" Link advised harshly. Wythe raised an eyebrow at this. "I offer to free her from that prison for you, and this is how you thank me?" he said airily. "Like you'd do us any favors!" James exclaimed as he fired an exploding pellet at their enemy. He blocked it without a thought.
"All I ask is that you give us something, and we'll return her to you unharmed," he pledged, placing his hand across his heart. Link was very tempted by this. While he knew making deals with the enemy would only bite him back, he was eager to see Hieke again. "What is it that you want?" he muttered fiercely. A grin contorted Wythe's dark countenance.
"Oh, nothing important," he sighed. "How about I bring her to you now? You meet me here in one hour and I'll have Miss Hieke ready to go." With not another word, Wythe vanished.
Kaze noticed that Link was trembling. "Man, what is with that guy?" he asked. "Is he on our side…? Or is this some kind of trick?" Link closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"He has something planned. We know he's evil from Malon's reaction. But… I believe that he intends to return Hieke to us. There's a catch. What it is, though, I don't know," he said quietly. They decided to visit with Zelda until their hour wait was up. The queen was appalled to hear what had transpired within the Sacred Ground.
"This is unheard of!" she ranted. "Not once, but twice! Twice the forces of darkness have treaded upon holy soil! And they've taken the Guardian Tree as well! Unprecedented! I will not allow this! Link, you must stop them!"
The hero was busy studying a pane of stained glass. "You talking to me, Princess? I mean, Queen… Your Majesty?" he said absently. Zelda waved him off, flustered. "He promised to return Hieke to you? Unharmed at that? I don't believe it!"
"Miss Zelda, if Hieke is taken out of the Tree, then what will become of the seal?" James asked, his eyes wide with fear for the answer. Zelda pondered this for a while. "I believe it will be fine," she concluded. "The seal will be considerably weaker, yes, but there are six other Spirits sustaining it. Ganondorf will remain inside the seal."
The hour seemed to pass more quickly for Link by studying the stained glass window. When their wait was up, everyone returned to the Sacred Ground where they found two figures: one was Wythe, but the other was wrapped in a black cloak and they couldn't tell who it was. Malon kept her distance from the scene, for the presence of evil was far stronger than she had ever felt it.
"Go forward, my dear," Wythe whispered to the cloaked figure. As it walked, he removed the black robe from it, revealing none other than Hieke, the Spirit of the Celestials. But there was something wrong with her… Instead of her cheerful orange clothes she wore drab black and gray robes. Her hair seemed paler than before and hung about her face carelessly.
"Tell them, dear. Who do you serve?" Wythe asked gently. "I serve Lord Kuro," Hieke stated, her voice void of emotion. Kaze fell to his knees, unable to see his close friend in such a manner. "And who is your Master?" Wythe asked. "Lord Kuro is my master," the girl replied, still emotionless.
"You monster!" Zelda shouted. "Did you not promise that she would remain unharmed?"
Wythe clicked his tongue and gestured to the shadow that once was Hieke. "Do you see a scratch on her body?" he inquired maliciously. "No, you don't. You may have some trouble making conversation with her, though." He turned to Hieke and smiled warmly. "Go ahead, dear. Go and meet your friends."
Hieke walked forwards stiffly, her tattered robes trailing behind her. Her once lustrous amber eyes had died to cold stones and were empty of the gleam of determination she once had. Link put his hands on her shoulders and shook her. "Hieke! Snap out of it! Please!" he begged. The girl reached up a hand and brushed away his tears.
"With Lord Kuro, there is no pain. With Lord Kuro, you know no sorrow."
"Stop talking like that!" Kaze demanded and slapped his former friend. "Kaze!" Malon and James shouted simultaneously, appalled that their friend would behave in such a manner. Wythe erupted in a sinister laughter.
"Sorry, kids, but Lord Kuro needed me to take her soul in order to get the Staff of Nightmares! She's still a pretty face, but not much more than that!" Wythe laughed. He drew a bottle out of his ebony robes and tossed it in his hands. Inside was what looked like a star, glowing brightly like a little flame.
Navi fluttered as near as she could get, then reported back to Link. "It's a soul, Link!" she said in awe. "The soul of a powerful entity!"
"Hieke's soul," Link growled. "I'd love to stay longer," Wythe smirked, "but I have a delivery to make to Lord Kuro. He'll reward me richly for my efforts. While extracting the girl from the seal couldn't have been easier, she scampered off immediately and I had to hunt her down. Now, getting her little soul out of that body, that's another story entirely. And then Drakar, that fool… Oh, I've dawdled here far too long. Lord Kuro is surely waiting for me! Goodbye, dear! Have fun with your friends!" And with that, Wythe and Hieke's soul disappeared.
"Hieke… Can you hear me?" Link asked, hoping it was all a joke of some kind. Hieke looked at him with stony eyes. "Shall we do battle?" she said, drawing out a black sword and readying herself.
"What are you doing?" Link demanded as he dodged a swift blow from Hieke's ebony blade. "I am entertaining myself. I am following my master's wishes. Would you not do the same?" the former Spirit of the Celestials asked listlessly. Kaze moved to aid his friend. "Hieke! Stop! Do you remember me? It's me, Kaze!" he pleaded, pointing at himself.
"Of course I remember you, Kaze," Hieke said with languid smile. She thrust her sword repeatedly and blocked Kaze into a corner. Link stood with his shoulders slumped, no longer caring about anything. "Link! What are you doing?" Zelda called. "Don't give up! Your friend is still there… somewhere deep inside!"
"Boo!" the head shouted in a feminine voice. Link jumped to his feet with an exclamation and looked around a few times before thinking to check the window. "Who are you?" he demanded, trying to come off as brave and fearless.
The presumed girl giggled and jumped into the room elegantly. She appeared to be about as old as Link. Her skin was tan, though not as much as the Gerudos'. She had blond hair tied into a braid that extended down to her knees and bangs that were brushed aside in a way that mostly covered the right side of her face. Her eyes were amber in color and glowed with the fire of youth. She wore a white shirt and an orange jacket that just barely reached her waist. She had on an orange skirt with white patterns and boots the same hue as her jacket.
Link studied the girl's features carefully, making note of any weapons she may have. The child looked at him with confusion and tried to figure out what he was looking at. She eventually gave up. "Hi! My name is Hieke! What's yours?" she asked smilingly.
"My name… is Link," he muttered under his breath. "And I will not allow you to continue this way. Hieke!"
The shadowed girl stopped and turned to Link blankly. "You left the Gerudos because they were hurting innocent people! You ran from me because you were trying to protect me! You sacrificed yourself so the inhabitants of Hyrule could survive! And who are you now!" he shouted. "Who are you!"
"Master Drakar," Hieke said quietly, her head lolled slightly to the side. "Master Drakar, you should take them to the dungeons now."
Link turned to his friends, save for Kaze, his eyes a grim shade of cobalt. "Malon, James, Zelda, Navi… All of you, go. Go now, and don't return. Don't look back, not once. I promise, Kaze and I will be fine. Now go!" he ordered. Malon started to resist, but James grabbed her hand and ran towards the castle with Zelda and Navi following. "Link, you be careful!" he shouted. He wasn't one to run, but he had seen in Link's eyes was Malon had not. Something horrible was bound to occur soon.
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Okay, next chapter: Chapter 10: The Dungeons! Lotsa stuff happens there! Since I got 13 reviews, I'm giving you a break. Three reviews and I'll update! W00t! Okay, go review now!
