Opia: I really should learn to remember to update quicker… Stupid Internet making me do other things… Anyway, this chapter marks the end of what I know is going to happen in this story… I have no idea where this is going… So… it will be even longer for this to update, as I kinda have to figure out and write what's going to happen next… This chapter was a little rushed because I wanted to tell all of you this, and I'm still not quite happy with it. But it does get the point across and the events did happen in this like I wanted to (sorta)… This just isn't my favorite. And I can't seem to fix it the way I want to, you just have to take this as acceptable unless you want the update in a year or two. :P
Cari: ...
Opia: ...
Cari: Forgot what you were going to say?
Opia: Yep...
The light of the mid-morning sun shone down into the royal courtyard. Ruto sat on a stone bench watching the birds frolic in the well-kept flowers. She was wearing an elegant purple and white gown she found in her room's closet and a red velvet ribbon kept her hair out of her eyes. The sound of grass crunching under boots made the princess look up. Standing in the entrance to the courtyard was Link. Ruto waved and he smiled. As he walked over she noticed he wasn't wearing his green cap. His hair stuck up at odd angles; Ruto suppressed a giggle.
"Lose your hat Link?"
"Hey! I don't wear it all the time!" He sat down next to her, "Just… whenever I can find it."
"Your hair is really messy."
Link sighed and looked up at his unruly bangs, "This is what it looks like after it's brushed. If it would just look nice I wouldn't have to wear that stupid cap."
They laughed and chatted about whatever came to mind: how nice the day was, how Ruto was adjusting to being a Hyrulean,
"I keep losing my balance when I walk!"
And other meandering topics. They talked for a long time. The sun was just beginning to descend when the sound of high-heels hitting stone reached their ears. Zelda strode in, her face grim and serious. Link stood up.
"Zelda? What's wrong?"
The Hyrulean princess walked over to Ruto.
"I have found records of the language and type of spell you used."
"Yes?"
"It was part of a collection of ancient and forbidden spells that were given to your people to lock away."
"Forbidden?" Ruto got up off the bench; "It didn't have any sort of seal on it…"
Zelda slapped her, hard. "You fool! Don't you understand what you've done!"
Ruto held her cheek, stunned into silence.
"These spells became forbidden for a reason! They used the most powerful medium known on this earth, blood. Spells cast with blood are exponentially more powerful than normal spells. But these forbidden spells didn't use up all the power gained from the spilt blood. Instead, it floods into the world, changing the balance of nature." Zelda's voice grew louder every sentience she spoke, "The natural world cannot handle such a surge of magical energy, so it ends up flowing into other outlets. Don't you see? It's a ripple effect. Who knows what has been changed by your antics? Records show results as small as a flower turning into a tree to as devastating as mountains crumbling and demons falling from the sky!"
She was pretty much screaming at this point. Ruto had backed up against the far wall, terrified by the princess's anger.
"Zelda, stop! She didn't know!" Link was restraining the girl from charging Ruto.
"THE ONLY WAY TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE IS TO FIND AND PERFORM THE COUNTER-SPELL—Let go of me!" Zelda ripped herself from Link's grasp, "We need to find that spell-book!"
"I don't think so." Came a deep, wispy voice.
The trio jumped and searched the area for the source of the voice. High above them, on a castle terrace, a single gargoyle moved. Black feathers floated down into the courtyard as two huge wings stretched out behind it. They beat once and the creature was launched into the air. It circled the area once and gracefully dropped down next to Ruto. The wings pulled away from concealing their owner and revealed a dark figure. Black hair cascaded over its long black and red robe, reaching down to its waist. Malevolent red eyes laughed at them from behind its long bangs.
"Long time no see Link." The creature chuckled.
"D-Dark Link!"
"You sound as surprised as I was. Wings sprouting from your back and your hair growing four times as long in a matter of seconds is not a very common occurrence." He turned to Ruto, "Interesting that this lovely girl is to thank for it."
Ruto's eyes widened as Dark Link stroked her cheek. Link growled and unsheathed his sword.
"Stay away from her!"
"I'm afraid that would be to my disadvantage. You heard our… radiant princess." Zelda looked disgusted, "The only way to reverse the effects is to perform the counter-spell. I can't let you do that."
Link leapt at Dark Link, slashing wildly. The shadow easily dodged his attack and backhanded him. Link flew headfirst into the opposite wall.
"Liiink!" Ruto screamed.
She was just about to run over to the fallen Hero of Time when Dark Link scooped her up. With a single beat of his wings they were airborne, he smirked down at Link.
"I've always been the better fighter."
They disappeared over the castle walls. As the wind died down and silence came over the courtyard Zelda ran over to the cracked wall where Link lay. He pushed her away, bits of stone falling off his clothes as he stood up. Zelda took a step back, frightened at the fury in his eyes.
"You…" Link glared, "Why didn't you help? You always have to stand there like a weak, helpless princess." He was screaming at her, "I know you've mastered powerful magic, I know you can fight! Why did you just let Dark Link leave?"
"You need to rest Link." Zelda said, her voice calm.
"Link hell I need to rest!" He turned and headed towards the exit. "I must follow them."
Lightning shot across the courtyard. Link cried out as the electricity coursed through his body. He fell to the ground.
Zelda walked up to the boy's unconscious body, hand still crackling from the spell.
"You need to rest."
Opia: Dun dun dunnnn! Answers to most questions that might be thought up because of this chapter (or any chapter really): Because I said so... and I'm still figuring that out. :P
Cari: R and R? Please?