Opia: Okay. I love you all for reviewing (though it's really mostly Josco) mostly because I love knowing people actually read these things. So, the two who reviewed, thank you. It's people like you that give me the motivation to write.
Cari: I'm suprized, you're being sentimental.
Opia: I haven't had my sugar today.
Cari: I don't feel like saying the disclaimer... they're on the other pages.
Opia: Dang it Cari! You are getting lazy!
Cari: So. I shouldn't have to keep saying it if I already did 5 times.
Opia: 4 actually. You were gone when I put up the second chapter.
Cari: Oh... right...
The Legend of Zelda: The Orb of Bannon Ch. 6
After hours of running through crowded streets and down abandoned alleyways the group had made it to the edge of Hyrule City, which merges with the outer edge of Kakariko City. Adlez had rented a room in one of the rundown motels. Inside, the group felt safe for the moment. On one bed Dark Link and Saria conversed softly, catching up on old times. Link was tipping his chair backward at a dangerous angle, and Adlez was putting away some groceries she had bought down the street. Fondling a soup can, she turned to the Sage and shadow.
"Excuse me… but something has been bothering me…."
"Yes, what is it?" Saria asked.
"When you told us your tale… you said 800 years ago the last hero was killed and Marinal's reign began… but… Marinal's the governor of this city… no one could be alive still after 800 years… well, except you Miss Saria."
Dark Link's eyes flashed, "You want to know how Marinal is still alive?"
"W-well…" Adlez stammered, "Yes."
Saria tilted her head towards the ceiling, "It's not very complicated…" She turned to Dark Link, "Dark, you've been around her the longest, you will be able to explain it better."
"Alright." The shadow took a deep breath, "I guess it started more than a thousand years ago…."
xxxxxxx
The light in the dining room was dim, aspiring to Marinal's taste. Ranik paused at the door.
"Come in." Marinal's voice floated out of the darkness.
Her second-in-command obeyed. After his eyes adjusted he saw the table laid out in the center of the room. The richly embroidered blood-red tablecloth complimented the golden plates and platters upon which the courses were set. At the far end of the table sat Marinal, her raven hair tied up exposing her extraordinarily pale but elegant neck and shoulders. The red of the dress she wore matched the tablecloth and the red jewel around her neck was easily visible.
"Sit" Her hand motioned to the empty seat.
Ranik hesitated, "Why have you—"
"Sit." Marinal commanded. He quickly obeyed. "Eat."
"But—"
"Eat, you need your strength."
Ranik reluctantly began to pick at the meal laid out before him. His gaze was focused on Marinal, who was watching him thoughtfully while sipping a glass of dark wine. Ranik blinked, he thought for a second that Marinal had cut her lip on the rim, for the wine left a dark stain on both her lips and the class.
Marinal smiled, "You've stopped eating."
"Aren't you going to eat?"
"I'm not hungry." She took another sip from her glass, "You are wondering why I beckoned you here."
"Yes ma'am."
Lifting the glass to eye level, Marinal studied Ranik's reflection on the liquid's surface.
"I felt it was time."
xxxxxxx
"… A pass in the mountains opened. Before this, Hyrule was virtually isolated, with only a few other realms accessible to it. With this opening our land and the rest of the world was able to mix, bringing wonderful things and, of course, horrible things into the kingdom. It was through this pass that Marinal first came." Dark's eyes glowed, "I do not know how long she has lived or of her life beyond the border, all I know is she came as a simple tourist, pouring over native lore and exploring the land. That is how I met her, out on the field one day. Right when our eyes met I knew something was… wrong… I guess… about her…."
xxxxxxx
Marinal's green eyes glowed, "You are most impressive Ranik. Speeding up my ranks all the way up to my second in only a matter of months. You're cunning, ruthless, you don't just follow orders blindly (a trait which I admire), and most importantly you're smart." A smile played across her lips, "You can drop the charade, I know you plan my demise behind my back."
Ranik's eyes narrowed, "So how are you going to stop me?"
He eyed the food suspiciously. Marinal laughed heartily.
"I knew you weren't quite smart enough to figure out my true incentive." She sighed and gazed at her drink. "Ranik, I'm old, older than you could possibly imagine. And in the last few hundred years I've been searching, searching for someone to take under my wing. I'm lonely Ranik, I need a student, but not any student, I need one with special qualities both physical and mental."
Raising her eyes to Ranik's face she grinned broadly, her fangs glittered in the dim light.
"Oh, don't look at me like that, I know you've already realized what I truly am."
xxxxxxx
"A v-vampire!" Adlez squeaked. She cleared her throat. "Vampires aren't real."
"I dunno…" Link yawned, "Weird shit's been happening lately. I mean, if my dark twin over there, " He waved his hand in Dark Link's direction, "can exist, then I guess vampires can… and maybe werewolves and Frankenstein live next door!"
Dark rolled his eyes, "This is not the time for your smartass remarks."
"When will it be?" Link smirked.
Suddenly the shadow appeared next to the boy and calmly kicked the only leg of his chair in contact with the ground. Link crashed to the floor.
Appearing on the bed again, Dark Link continued, "Believe it or don't, it doesn't really matter. But it will be the only logical explanation you'll ever hear."
"Logical!" Adlez slammed the can onto the table next to her, "It's not logical at all! Magic, Vampires, those are all fairy tales, myths!"
Saria shook her head, "You still don't believe even after all we've shown you? I am amazed by your naïveté."
Adlez glowered, "You be quiet. It is a known fact that Miss Marinal's family has governed this sector for years! It's their tradition to name their first born girls Marinal!"
"Has a man ever run the cities?" Dark asked.
"Uh…" Adlez thought hard, "No."
"Has any of the Marinals ever had siblings?"
"Yes as a matter of fact! The last governor had a sister in Hylia, her picture was in the newspaper!"
"Was she in any group photos with her sister?"
"Of cour—uh…" Adlez blinked. "Now that I think about it… She wasn't…."
The shadow chuckled, "Marinal can change her appearance if need be. Do you believe everything printed in the newspaper?"
Link got up shakily and headed for the door.
"I'm going out for a while. Hearing Adlez blow up is not something I wish to experience at the moment… see ya."
He slammed the door behind him.
"Do you think it's okay for him to go out on his own like that?" Saria asked Dark Link.
He shrugged, "I think he'll be fine."
Adlez's face was red with anger. "I wasn't finished with you!"
Dark turned to her coolly, "You have another excuse?"
"Yes! I-I mean… gah!" The girl growled, "If Marinal is a vampire how come I've seen her in broad daylight? Answer that!"
"That confused me as well when I first met her, but the answer is simple enough. You have seen the blood-red jewel she wears around her neck?"
"The family heirloom? Yes."
"It has a similar effect to Saria's medallion in that it keeps its wearer alive in conditions where they normally couldn't survive. In other words, the pendent protects her from the sun's rays."
"And how do you know this?"
"She told me."
Saria glared at the shadow beside her. "Yeah, you two were just great friends back then weren't ya?"
Dark sighed. "You don't understand, when I first met her I felt like I had finally met someone who I could relate to, an immortal dark entity… I felt she understood the pain and weight of all those years that pass by…."
"I'm immortal too you imbecile."
"It's a different weight Saria… You were isolated in your woods, you haven't seen the things I've seen…" He rubbed his eyelids. "I didn't know she wished to kill Link and his family… I paid for my trust in her…."
Adlez watched the duo in confusion, "What are you guys talking about?"
"Nothing." They said in unison.
Saria hopped off the bed.
"Adlez, if you would follow me please I'd like to show you something."
"Okay." She followed the sage out the door.
Dark Link watched them go. Then, with a long sigh, he buried his face in his hands, memories and guilt haunting him.
xxxxxxx
"You should be honored, my kind doesn't make this decision lightly."
Ranik stoop up swiftly, knocking his chair over in the process. His eyes darted across the room as he desperately tried to think up a plan. His hand touched one of the knives lying on the table.
"Do you really think that will work?" Marinal's menacing whisper came from behind him.
Ranik's fingers wrapped around the knife.
"I'll never become a creature like you!"
With the speed of a hawk he whirled around and plunged the silverware into Marinal's heart. She staggered back, hand reaching up to the knife. It clattered to the floor as the vampire began to laugh.
"You're talking as if you have a choice in the matter."
With speed undetectable by the mortal eye Marinal leapt at Ranik, wrapped her arm around his head, and pulled away the collar of his shirt to expose his bare neck. Ranik tried to break free, but Marinal's unnatural strength held him fast.
"This will only hurt for a moment…" She whispered as she bent closer.
A small gasp escaped Ranik's lips as Marinal's fangs tore into his soft flesh. His body went limp as he faded into darkness.
"Damn… you… Marinal…."
Opia: Yep, Marinal's a Vampy... I didn't use any real guidelines for the vampire myth in this so if you love vampires and hate some of the things I've done here, don't hurt me. I tried to keep very basic on this. A few more tweeks that may not be liked all that well will come a little later. (VAMPIRE CHARACTER DEDICATED TO MY GOOD FRIEND FIFI, OUR RESIDENT VAMPIRE) Anyway... poor Ranik...
Cari: Why, he's a bad guy. Or... not so much anymore 'cause he doesn't like Marinal...
Opia: You know very well why I'm saying that.
Cari: ...? ... ... ... OH! Right! Okay! I'll just be quiet now...
Opia: Please read and review.