Author: its finally getting better…or at least I hope you think so…O.o
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Legend of Zelda characters or locations, I own Nera and her grandfather, Kamon and the Sellswords belong to my brother.
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Chapter Three: Past…But Not Forgotten
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--Link's dreams--
Link walks up to the front of Hyrule castle as the sky darkens into an evil storm. He is standing before the moat with the bridge up. Suddenly he hears a scream behind him and as he turns he sees a dark man holding Nera! She is struggling while the evil man laughs manically at her feeble attempts to escape. Link runs towards them but as hard as he tries they seem to get farther away. A lightning bolt flashes across the sky and Link shields his eyes from the light.
"Link please help!" Nera screams but her voice is different, its slightly deeper…the voice of a woman.
Link looks up and suddenly Nera is older but the evil man still has a steadfast grip on her. Link pulls out a bow and fires directly at the man's chest but, before it strikes, the man twists to the side and the arrow pierces Nera's heart instead. The dark man releases her and she drops to her knees and reaches out towards Link. With one last cry she falls forward.
End dream, Link's house
Link gasps as he falls out of bed and lands on the floor. Breathing hard he looks around his room, the one place that hasn't changed in 7 years. He starts to calm down as he looks over at his sword and other weapons that are sitting on top his shield next to his bed and then at Navi who is asleep on top his hat. After calming down for a few moments Link stands up and puts his covers back on the bed then wanders over to his window. Looking out at the pale hints of the sunrise through the trees, he sighs and remembers what happened the last time he saw her…
Flashback: Lon Lon Ranch
Link had been happily sleeping when suddenly there was someone shaking him awake. It was Saria, gasping for breath and looking frantic.
"What's wrong!" Navi said as she flew over to Saria.
"Fire! At Lon Lon Ranch…Hurry!" Saria said quickly as she grabbed Link's hand and pulled him to the door.
Link ran quickly through town and out of the forest. When he reached Hyrule field he gasped at the sight of Lon Lon Ranch in flames at the top of the hill. One worried look at Navi and he sprinted away. Saria, to tired to keep up, stayed at the entrance to the forest. Link raced past the old wagon and into the ranch as he worried about his friends. He came to a sudden stop when he rounded the corner.
"Don't do that!" Navi said as she collided with the back of his head, then she too floated to a stop.
In front of Malon's burning house there stood a man dressed entirely in black armor with red hair and dark skin, and in his arms was Nera! He had a large broadsword in his hand and across from him was Nera's grandpa wielding a short sword.
"Let her go! Your quarrel is with me! Not her!" her grandpa shouted, a look of hatred and fear in his eyes.
"Muahaha! You think I'm after you? The girl is the one I want! And now I have her, you…will die!" the man said in a deep voice as he swung his sword at Nera's grandpa.
The blade struck the old man in the shoulder causing him to drop his sword. Nera cried out and the dark man punched her to get her to shut up. She was momentarily stunned by the blow and just hung limply in the man's arms. Furious, Link grabbed a Deku nut and chucked it at the man's head. It exploded in a flash of light and the man dropped Nera to shield his eyes. Link then picked up Grandpa's sword and charged at the man. He got one good slash across the man's stomach before he could counter the attack.
"You brat! Ugh…" the man said as he knelt on one knee clutching his side.
"Ha! Serves you right!" replied Navi.
"You will pay for this…I'll be back!" the man yelled as he stood up and with a soft crack and flash of purple light, he was gone.
Link dropped the sword and turned to Nera who was crying in her grandpa's arms. Malon and Talon came out from behind the barn and ran over to the others.
"Who was that guy?" Malon asked as she looked around.
"It's a long story and I don't have time to explain! We have to leave here! Now!" Nera's Grandpa responded
"Why!" said Navi and Malon at the same time.
"He's going to continue chasing us, we have to leave or someone might get killed next time…" he replied.
Kamon's Sellswords
A beautiful woman stands in the window of a building looking out upon a large encampment if warriors. Her brown eyes scan the horizon as she waited for the darkness in the sky to diminish. The sun's rays flashed over the horizon illuminating Nera's face. With her dark purple leather armor, long brown hair pulled into a bun, and the various scars streaking her arms, she was far from the little girl she used to be. Suddenly a soft knock came at her chamber door.
"Who is it?" she asked as she grabbed her sword and bow and strapped them on.
"Its me Kamon" came the reply from the door.
"Come in…"
The door opened and a tall man walked in. His muscular frame is covered in black leather, which makes his tan skin and black messy hair even more menacing. He is equipped with two broadswords strapped to his back.
"What do you want brother?" Nera asks, still looking out the window.
"…We have another customer…it's a special assignment. The client wants four of my men to take care of a little 'problem' for him. I was wondering if you'd like to go this time…" Kamon stated.
"You know how I feel about your 'assignments,'" Nera replied with a hint of disgust in her voice.
"…But this is in Hyrule" Kamon carefully added
Stunned Nera faces her brother, looking for any hint of a lie in his face. But she new him better than that, he wouldn't lie about this.
"…I know you have been waiting for years to go back to Hyrule and, well, this is your chance. I made sure the target has no connections," he explained
" 'Target,' 'connections' you sound like a heartless killer!" Nera replied angrily as her brother began to pace.
"From what I've heard," Kamon continues, ignoring his sister's remark, "the target is a lone swordsman…apparently he has been killing off the local soldiers and Hyrule's King wants us to handle the job. The swordsman has no identifiable family. Plus the client is willing to pay triple the asking price… that is another reason why I want you to go, because you know most of my men are devious rats and would try to take the money for themselves. You, however, I can trust"
"What's his name?"
"You know my policy: 'Name is Emotion, No Name is Money'"
"Alright…I'll go…" Nera finally agreed.
"Great! You leave immediately!" Kamon announced energetically and left the room.
Nera paused by the window again and this time she reached up and touched the small blue hoop earring in her right ear…remembering a promise made 7 years ago…
Flashback: Lon Lon Ranch
Everyone was standing by the wagon and saying their goodbyes. Malon, who hates goodbyes, is off by the entrance to the ranch wiping tears from her eyes. Nera and Link are by the back of the wagon. Link is helping put the last of their bags into the back when Nera asks him something.
"Lets make a promise…lets promise to never forget each other…" Nera said as she grabs Link's hand. She then places a small silver hoop earring into his palm and adds, "I want you to keep this…so you'll always remember me"
Link nods and reaches up to his right ear to exchange his blue hoop earring for her silver one. He then hands her his earring and smiles.
"You've been the best of friends and you even saved my life…Thank you…I'll repay you someday," Nera said as she placed the blue hoop in her ear. Link and Nera stood there for a few moments, hand in hand, and then the silence is broken by the sound of Talon arguing with Nera's grandpa.
"Your old horse won't last long" Talon stated, pointing at the mottled brown horse hitched to the wagon, "Please take one of mine"
"I couldn't do that! You've already given us so much and we've been naught but a burden" Nera's grandpa argued.
"But I insist!" Talon replied "Malon go get the dapple mare," he added.
Malon runs off to the stables and comes back leading the horse Link had chased earlier that day. Moments later the wagon was slowly moving down the hill. Nera's grandpa in front with Nera sitting in the back holding onto the brown horse's rope and waving goodbye.
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Author: yes…much longer than the previous chapter…and hopefully better…there's a little action…and I guarantee there will be more… . Please R&R 'cause I donno if this is any good or not!