Chapter 5 Ghost Rising
Ri2 is a very wise man. Yes, I am a Christian, and I have based many of my ideas off of Christianity and such. In fact, many parts of this story are what you could call a Christian Allegory I suppose. I wrote this in hopes that it would clearly show what Christianity really is like, while also being a fun, action packed story which not only Christians could enjoy. So don't stop reading because you now know all this, because you don't have to think of this as a Christian story if you don't want to. You don't even have to think of the Lord of Light as God.
Well enough of that, well this chapter is a little more lighthearted at the beginning than this story has been so far. I know many of you will not like this, for many of you like dark types of stories (myself included) but it gets really dark at the end, and I think the beginning helps lighten up the mood. I got several ideas for the beginning from a zelda fanart/comic. So I must give credit to the author here, for that person gave me the good idea to write the scene. I can't write in the link, but it is called "Link & Malon" and it is by the artist called Yuina. Look up Yuina Link & Malon on google search. It is on fanartcentral. Look at the webaddress. Then scroll down the list of fanarts until you see "Link & Malon." Look at it either before or after reading the lighthearted beginning of this story. Sorry for the long authors note. And thanks to all the new reviewers. Please review again on this one.
Link was once again a rider, but this time he rode through the open plains of Hyrule field under the sun. It was amazing how Kakariko village could be so dark, while the rest of Hyrule was so light. Link had searched for Sheik, and failed to find him. He had no idea where to go next. The Water, Fire, and Forest Temples were well behind him, but he knew that two more medallions remained. But for now, Link needed someone to get the Hergon blade out of his gut. Perhaps Malon could help. She had, after all, managed to help him in the past.
"Link," Navi said, breaking the silence. "After you saved the Ranch, did you ever find out what happened to Talon?"
"Malon said that he had left the farm after Ingo took it over," Link said. "I don't know what happened to him."
Link smiled as he thought back to the memories of Lon Lon Ranch. His mind faded away as he basked in the memories. Memories of a time before the terror. Before the days when it stalked him. His mind traveled back, seven years into the past. The glory days.
"I'm so glad you came to visit Fairyboy," young Malon said to Link as the two of them walked out in the horse pasture.
She was dressed in a clean white dress, and farm boots which clomped along on the dirt and grass of the pasture. She half skipped along, humming a tune which Link had heard her singing many times.
"Daddy was so upset about falling asleep," Malon giggled. "He wouldn't stop apologizing!"
Link chuckled at this, but didn't say anything. He just followed Malon shyly. They were both young, both children. Neither of them understood romance, or the whole idea of marriage. Link, when asked, would say that he would never get married, and that the whole idea was icky. But in truth he knew that he did feel something for the opposite sex. He was attracted. Most young boys are; they just won't admit it.
Between Link and Malon, a sort of childhood love had formed, but never of them could admit it, or understand it. They were young and innocent. Unaware of how dark the world truly had turned. To Link, Malon sort of replaced the gap that had opened when he had left Saria behind. Saria and him had never been more than best friends, but she still was special to him. When he had awoken seven years in the future, he had been amazed at his new body. He had been amazed at the fact that he had become an adult. But he was horrified at what had happened to the world. He remembered crying when he saw Saria again when she was awoken as the forest sage. He had grown older, and she had not aged a day. They had always been childhood friends, promising each other that they would never grow up, and would live play together forever. But now Link felt like he had betrayed her by growing up.
But these memories pained Link. He preferred thinking about his memories of Malon. As a child he had never said much when he was around her. He never knew how to act around girls. Malon, on the other hand, always seemed comfortable talking to just about anyone. She was incredibly outgoing.
The two children walked through the pasture for a while, with Malon doing most of the talking, and Link doing most of the listening. Then Malon led Link into the barn.
"So fairyboy," Malon said, smiling at Link.
Link blushed, and looked away.
"Tell me, why did you decide to come visit me?"
Link looked down, trying not to look in Malon's eyes.
"Uh, I don't know... I just... I just..."
Malon giggled, and her smile broadened into a playful grin.
"Because you wanted to see me again?" she asked, twirling her hair girlishly.
Link blushed, and looked away.
Malon laughed.
"You're cute," she said, causing further embarrassment for Link.
Malon then walked over towards the other side of the barn. Suddenly she tripped on a piece of wood, and fell in a heap on the ground. She let out a soft squeak as she fell, and Link ran to her side.
"Are you alright?" he said worriedly.
"I'm fine," Malon said, brushing her hair out of her face.
Link timidly held his small hand down to help Malon up. She smiled up at Link, and took his hand. Link's heart rate quickened. He was holding hands with Malon. He began to heat up, and he got distracted. Their hands stayed together, for Link had lost all sense as he savored the feeling of their hands touching.
"Uh Link," Malon said. "Aren't you going to help me up?"
Link suddenly realized his mistake, and he blushed deeply. Malon just giggled. Link then tried, rather unsuccessfully, to help Malon up. In his embarrassment, Link tried to pull Malon up quicker than necessary. He teetered precariously off balance, and then realized that he was going to fall down. Link tried to stabilize himself, but it was too late. He fell of balance, and went down, pulling Malon with him. Malon and Link tumbled to the ground, and rolled across the straw covered floor until they came to a halt. Link landed on top of Malon, putting both children in a very awkward position. Link immediately leapt off of her, while the she laughed at Link's mistake. Link blushed, and tried to hide his face while Malon continued laughing.
"That is by far not the best way to sweep a girl off of her feet," Malon said as she stood up. "But thanks for trying fairyboy, that was sweat."
Link's head shot up.
"Really?"
Malon smiled teasingly.
"Yes, you're a sweetie. Would you like me to give you a kiss for your pains?"
"Well um... er..." Link stuttered, looking at the ground.
In truth he did want her to give him a kiss. But he, just like all other young boys, was afraid to admit it.
"You do don't you," Malon said, smiling cutely.
Link's face turned bright red and Malon giggled. Malon then stopped, and smiled mischievously. She then put her hands behind her back, and leaned over towards Link. Link tried to step back, but the barn wall was behind him. Malon had him trapped. Malon leaned in close, until she was three inches away from his face. Link could feel his face heating up.
"Should I take your inability to speak as a yes?" she asked with a playful grin.
Link was back against the wall, standing on his toes as the shorter girl leaned in towards him. Link couldn't hold it in anymore. His eyes locked with hers. Malon stepped closer, her eyelashes almost tickling Link's face
"You certainly are a cutie," Malon said, before closing her eyes, and touching Link's lips gently with her own.
It was a small kiss. A short kiss. A child's kiss. It was in no ways erotic, or immoral in nature. It was sweat and innocent. But it meant everything to both of them. For there are too many examples these days of love which is not true, love which is no better than lust. For a person who lusts wants to receive something, while one who loves wishes to give.
Malon opened her eyes after gently kissing Link on the lips. Link opened his eyes, now feeling very relieved, and happy. He smiled shyly at the red haired girl, and Malon smiled right back.
"You know you are a good kisser," Malon said.
"What a surprise," Link said. "I've never kissed any other girl in my life."
Malon giggled before wrapping her arms around Link and hugging him tightly.
"I'm glad," she whispered in Link's ear as he put his arms around her.
"What is it Link?" Navi said, her voice jarring Link back to the present.
"What?" Link asked.
"You were staring off into space and smiling," Navi replied.
"Oh," Link said. "I was just uh... thinking about the past."
"I see," Navi said.
Link looked up into the sky again. It had now begun to cloud up. He sighed. Ever since Ganondorf had taken the world, he rarely had a chance to see the sun. Soon the sky was fully covered, and it became like night again. Epone trotted forward, her hooves falling heavily on the ground. Then Link saw a flash off in the distance. He sighed, and urged Epona forward. Thunder rumbled far away, and rain began to fall. Link pulled his hat over his head to keep the rain off, and beckoned Epona to go faster.
"Dangit!" Link complained. "I just get out of Kakariko village, and what? It starts raining! What a great day this has turned out to be."
Lightning flashed again, and in the distance Link could see the gates of Lon Lon Ranch.
"Hasn't changed much since my last visit," Link said. "I wonder what happened to Ingo?"
Lighting flashed again, as the rain streaked around the rider and his steed.
"Ride faster Epona," Link said.
He wanted to get to the Ranch before nightfall.
The clouds grew darker and darker, and the horse and the rider galloped away. At that moment, something happened in the remains of Hyrule Market. The dark, deserted square was filled with Redeads. Large, brown almost rotting bodies walking slowly through the darkened streets, raising their unearthly moans towards the clouds. Lost they were, with nothing left to do but wander, and take the life of anyone they found. They groaned as they stumbled around, hands groping for some form of fulfillment. Spirits gasping for a way to retain the glory that they had cast away.
Then, a flash of light erupted from one of the dark alleyways, causing the Redeads to turn their heads to see what was going on. Another flash of light shot out, and a ghostly figure materialized in the darkness. It was hazy, with features nearly impossible to make out. The ghost, or whatever its was, opened its cold soul like eyes, and stared out at the Redeads. Its legs faded out as they moved downwards, and the feet were invisible. It was wrapped in an ancient cloak which was torn and ripped in several places. The ghostly being took a step into the market. The Redeads stepped aside as it passed by them, not wishing to be a hindrance to it. The creature's face was cold, and solemn. Its ghostly hair was shaggy, and appeared to be blowing in a wind which did not exist. A wind that at least did not exist in this world. On its head rested a tall top hat, worn out with holes in it. By all appearances, it looked like the ghost of some street criminal.
It walked past the Redeads, regarding each with its cold stare. Its feet could not be seen, but the sound of old boots clicking against a cold stone ground could be heard. But the sound of its footsteps echoed, as if issuing from another world. And sometimes the sound seemed to come from a different part of the old square. The Redeads watched the figure walk out of the market.
The door to the dark building opened, letting a streak of light shine in. The old cloaked man behind the desk squinted his eyes in the dim light.
"Close the door behind you," he said in a crackling, almost evil voice. "Keep the light out."
The door closed, and darkness returned to the mysterious shop. The keeper was an short old man dressed in a tattered cloak with a hood pulled up so that only his nose was visible. The only light in the building issued from a candle which sat on the shopkeeper's desk. But the flame from the candle glowed purple, not orange.
"Welcome to Hyrule's Ghost Shop," the keeper said, looking into the darkness of his shop, trying to see the man who had just come in. "A great shop with lots of business in this day and age."
The man cackled horsely at this, and ended up coughing at the end of the laugh. His laugh sounded very much like that of a Poe. Above the man there was an old shelf with several old iron cages resting on it. They seemed almost enchanted as they sat there, and as the little flames of Poe souls flashed up inside each one.
"You come here with a rare ghost to sell to me?" the shopkeeper asked. "Or would you like to buy a spirit for yourself? I warn you, you best keep them in cages at all times. If they escape, you'll regret it."
The man laughed again, cackling like a Poe. His skin was pale, from his time spent in the darkness of his mystical shop, never leaving it. He was a strange old man, one of the only people who dared to live this close to Hyrule market.
"So what do you want?" he finally asked, gazing out into the darkness.
"Where are you?" he asked. "Come into the light."
He heard old boots clomping against the wood floor coming towards him. But the sound of the footfalls was eerie. Suddenly the shopkeeper gasped. A ghostly figure stepped into the light. Its ghostly white hair flashed around it as small ghostly drops of rain fell all around it, as it were a walking photograph of a man standing in the rain. The spirit stood six and a half feet tall, at least two and a half feet taller than the shopkeeper. Its cold eyes, grayish-white, without pupils, regarded the shopkeeper thoughtfully, almost as if deciding what it should do with the old man.
"Y-you," the old man stammered. "Y-your a... your a... a ghost!"
The man then chuckled nervously.
"Uh... what I said... about this sh-shop being a g-ghost shop... th-th-that was j-just a... just a j-joke..."
The spirit did not respond. It merely held its hand up to the cages full of Poe spirits. The small flame like souls began chirping and shrieking eerily as the ghostly hand reached out towards them, and the tiny spirits began moving towards the fronts of their cages.
"W-what are you d-doing?" the shopkeeper stuttered.
The spirit shot him a silencing glare, and then turned its attention back to the cages. Suddenly, its hand began to glow with bright yellow energy. The Poes in the cages began shrieking louder, and crowding around at the front of the cages. The ghostly figure's hand grew brighter and brighter, and the shopkeeper covered his eyes with his hands against the light. As the spirit's hands grew lighter, it seemed as if the air in the room grew darker, even while his hands grew lighter.
Then the spirit's hand seemed to be pulling at the Poe spirits in the cages. Slowly, the tops of the flames began stretching out through the bars towards the extended hand of the figure. Then, the Poes were sucked right through the bars of their cages, into the hand of the spirit. They all collected in a ball, swirling around in a multicolored aurora. The shopkeeper opened his eyes to see what was happening. The ball of Poes continued churning and roaring as the Poes all shrieked and screamed as they swirled around in the churning ball of fire. Then, the spirit closed his hand, and the ball of Poes seemed to channel into the closed hand.. Then, they were gone.
The ghostly figure dropped its hand to its side, and turned for the door. As it walked away, the shopkeeper realized what it had done.
"Hey!" he shouted. "You can't steel my Poes! Give them back!"
The ghostly figure turned, and fixed the old man with its empty eyes. Its hand opened, and several of the Poe spirits shot back out of it onto the wooden floor. The shopkeeper's eyes widened when he saw this.
"No!" he shouted, "take them! Take them! Don't set them free!"
The Poe spirits then rose up into the air, and took on their physical forms. They then turned towards the shopkeeper. The Poes charged. The old man screamed. And the spirit, standing at the entrance, began to laugh silently. Dark shadows of the Poes and the Shopkeeper struggling shot up behind the purple candle. The Poes raised their eerie cries as the man cried out in pain and agony. Then their was the sound of a sword being unsheathed, and then a loud scream. Then more struggling. Then their was silence. When the Poes had finished, they diminished back to their spiritual states. The ghostly figure opened his hand, and they flew to it again. The spirit then closed its hand, and they disappeared. With that, the ghostly figure turned for the exit, and walked right through the door. It left behind the corpse of the shopkeeper. His body lay crumpled on the ground, with no physical reasons for his death. But on the floor next to him lay a yellow energy blade. But that soon disappeared.
The ghostly figure walked out across the broken drawbridge of the old castle into Hyrule Field. The spirit turned its attention towards Kakariko village, and began walking in that direction. Then, it disappeared from sight. And all that was left was the sound of the rain.
Poor Ghost shop person. But dang! I am happy I was able to write that scene. Did you like that? What do you guys think this spirit/ghost guy is? And why did he take the Poes? Alright, see you Gentlemen and Ladies later.