Chapter II

The Stalwolf grabbed Malon by her throat, its large decaying teeth sinking into her soft, white throat. The undead canine dragged her across the field towards a near by grotto. Stygan ran for the deceased dog. The dog's green eyes locked on Stygan. Seeing new meat, it let go of Malon and ran for Stygan, who was running towards the Stalwolf. The two enemies ran towards each other. The Stalwolf tried to take a bite out of Stygan but Stygan was too quick for the lifeless tetrapod. The creature snapped at Stygan's shin but instead got a foot to the head as Stygan jumped on its skull, boosting him several feet into the air. He came down with immense force, smashing the skull into pieces with his large black leather boot. After the creature fell and disappeared with a puff of blue flame. Stygan ran towards Malon. She didn't look too good; her throat had holes where the teeth sank in and they were pouring out blood. He took a thick but narrow transparent flask with a cork lid out of his tunic. He popped off the cork lid and put the flask up to the dieing Malon's lips. He tipped the flask as so the contents would go into her mouth so she could drink the potion, but the red liquid just dribbled onto her bottom lip and spilled over her white shirt, staining it red. Stygan held her close, his head on her chest. He could still hear a heart beat. It was faint, but there was one. He carefully hoisted Malon onto his back, putting her arms around his neck and started to carry her towards Hyrule Castle Town. He'd never been there before, but logic told him that there would be a place for them to get help. After about three steps an ambush of Stalwolves appeared from under the ground. Stygan carefully put Malon down and drew his sword and shield. A Stalwolf lunged from the left, Stygan slashed it and it fell to the ground disappearing in a puff of blue flame. One came running from the right and he beat it down with his shield. They all lunged at him. Stygan could not attack all of them at once. He lifted his shield in defense and hoped for the best. One of the Stalwolves landed on him and pushed him to the ground. He was a goner. The Stalwolf stood over him with its jaw gaping wide open, its dead breath wafting into Stygan's nostrils. He gagged at the stench. The two green dots that were its eyes looked at him. It opened its mouth wider. Stygan could see its black tongue. The tongue smelled worse than its breath. It was about to take a chunk out of Stygan's jugular when a horse's cry rang out in the deathly silent night. From behind the zombie dog he could see the silhouette of a horse. The Stalwolf on Stygan's chest looked back, saw the horse and figured the horse would be a better meal than the Hylian. The dog stepped off Stygan's chest and moved towards the horse. All of them did. The horse jumped up on its hind legs, neighing. One Stalwolf tried to bite one of the horses fore legs but instead got a hoof to the face. The horse smashed through ten Stalwolves before they thought its best to retreat. Stygan, still on the ground, looked up at the horse. There was another silhouette on the horse. This one looked more like a person, a Hylian. He could see the Hylian was wearing green from the faint blue light that danced around the individual. The Hylian got off their horse and started walking towards him. The blue light floated along with them. When the Hylian was in front of Stygan a hand was offered. He pushed the hand away and got up on his own. The blue light came up to Stygan's face. He could see now that it was a fairy. Stygan looked at it like it was some sort of annoying insect. The fairy flew back to the Hylian in green. The fairy floated above their head. Stygan could see it was a male Hylian. He was about the same height as him, if not shorter. He was wearing a light green tunic and a light green cap which the fairy floated around. He looked to be very young, A teenager of 17 maybe or somewhere around Stygan's age. His blonde bangs hung at the side of his eyes from under his cap. The tunic he was wearing looked like Stygan's, only Stygan's was black. The boy wore white pants under his tunic. From behind the boy's head Stygan could see a familiar hilt shape. He had the master sword. Stygan didn't even think it existed. Stygan heard a small voice come from the floating blue ball of light.

"Hi, I'm Navi, and this is my partner, Link" said the blue floating orb.

Link held out his hand to Stygan, smiling. Stygan wasn't very friendly with other people except Malon. He mostly kept to himself.

"Can you get us to Hyrule Castle Town fast? My friend needs help, she's badly wounded. I don't think she'll last much longer."

Link looked behind Stygan and saw the limp body on the ground. The Navi flew over to Malon, shining a pale blue light on her.

"Sure" she said. "Hop on"

Link ran over to Malon, picked her up and put her on the horse, Stygan sat behind her so she wouldn't fall off, his arms wrapped around her. They trotted off into the night. Minutes later Stygan could see two flames in the distance.

"Almost there" said the fairy.

They galloped over the drawbridge. They entered the town and got off the horse. Link first, then Stygan with Malon. Stygan picked up Malon and carried her in his arms, following Link. They walked up to a house and opened the door. As they walked inside Stygan looked around the small house they were in. It was very boxy, just a large square room with some beds, a chair, a fire place on the back wall and a large pen where a cow was standing, There was a wooden table made of an old large tree stump in the middle of the room and a flight of wooden stairs leading up to a second floor which cut off half way across the house. There was no wall where it cut off, just the floor. It looked a little bit like the floor was a long shelf, except with beds and chairs. Stygan put Malon on the bed closest to him. A red headed woman came down the stairs. She was tall, thin and had her hair up in a tight bun. The woman looked at Link, surprised to see him.

"Oh, Link" she said with a surprised tone. "It's nice to see you again" she said, smiling. She looked over at Stygan. "Oh, and who might you be?" she asked, still smiling. Stygan didn't reply with a name. "My friend is badly wounded, can you help her?"

The woman looked over at the girl on the bed. She ran upstairs and came back with a man wearing a green vest and brown pants. He had short black hair and dark beady eyes. He wore the vest open, exposing his muscular chest. He ran down the stairs with the woman. He walked quickly up to Malon's bed with some bandages and a brown paste. Stygan watched as the man took the paste and put it on the bandages and wrapped the bandages around Malon's neck.

"And now we wait" said the man. "She'll be fine in a few days. Until then you'd better let her rest." He took the paste and bandages and walked back upstairs. Stygan walked over to a chair and carried it to the side of Malon's bed and sat there, watching her sleep. He ran his hand through her dusk orange hair. After hours of watching her he fell asleep, his head lying on the side of her bed.

Malon's eyes blinked open as daylight streamed through the window beside her bed. She squinted, letting her eyes adjust to the brightness. When her eyes refocused she saw Stygan, still asleep, on her bedside. She looked around the room.

"Where am I?" she asked herself quietly.

"A house." Came a tiny voice from the far side of the room. "Anju's house, to be exact."

Malon looked over to where the voice was coming from. She saw the familiar blue ball of light floating above another familiar figure. She recognized this handsome figure; Green tunic, blonde hair, blue eyes, blue fairy. It was Link.

"Link!" she cried as she leapt out of bed to go hug him. She didn't get very far. Her whole neck ached. She gasped as the pain hit her. Stygan awoke, startled. He looked up to see that Malon was awake.

"You're awake!" he said joyfully, trying to hide his excitement.

"Yea. What happened to me? I feel like I was hit by a milk cart." Malon said, lightly touching her neck. She felt the bandages and her hands jumped back like it was some kind of monster.

"You were grabbed by a Stalwolf" said Stygan. "It grabbed you by the throat and dragged you across Hyrule Field."

Malon's eyes stared into space. "I think I remember now" she said. She seemed to be remembering the incident. "You're lucky we were going past you guys when we did." Said Navi. "Your friend here was outnumbered."

Stygan shot the annoying little pest a dirty look.

"You saved me?" Malon asked, more to herself than to Link. Malon looked at Link, her eyes sparkling. She looked like a little girl with a crush.

Link nodded. Stygan sat there; both his hands were rolled into tight fists as he looked at Link and his little pet firefly. "It's been so long since I've seen you" said Malon. "You too Navi" she said, smiling at the fairy. The fairy floated there. No one ever knew what expression she had on her face. No one could see her face; she looked like a winged blue ball of light. You could only assume the expression.

"Well, how 'bout breakfast?" Said Stygan, grabbing his stomach. "I'm so hungry I could eat a whole Dodongo" Link chuckled at this. He and Stygan were the only ones in the room who understood the joke. Dodongos lived in the cavernous lairs of Death Mountain. Only Stygan and Link had seen these giant, combustible reptiles up close, as well as their small, subterranean offspring.

"Food seems like a good idea" said Malon. "I'm starved. All that sleeping makes a farm girl hungry"

As if on cue, Anju came downstairs with a platter of eggs and a giant jar of milk with some cups.

"Who's hungry?" she asked, smiling.

After breakfast everyone left Malon to sleep. Anju had to run some errands in town as did her husband. All that was left was Malon, Stygan, Link and Navi. Malon felt sleepy after breakfast so she went back to sleep. Link, Navi and Stygan left her alone and went outside. Link and Navi walked up to a horse that was standing in front of the house. As Stygan walked outside, he put his hand up in front of his pale face, shielding his crimson eyes from the blaring sun. Link on the other hand didn't seem to mind the sun. His tanned skin seemed to welcome the sunlight. Stygan stood inside the doorway where it was still shady. Link petted the horse. It was a light sorrel mare with a flaxen mane and tail. Stygan watched as Link rubbed the horses face. Fairy boy and the horse seemed to have some sort of connection, or as much of a connection a dumb horse and a mute kid in a green suit with a firefly for a pet. Stygan stepped out of the doorway. The sun didn't like him very much. That was ok, he didn't like it very much either.

"So, is this your horse?" asked Stygan

"Yup" said the nosey little insect. "Given to him by Malon herself for beating Ingo in a horse race"

Malon had told Stygan of how Ingo, the farm hand, had been influenced by Ganondorf and took over the ranch and kicked the real owner, Talon, out.

"Oh" said Stygan. He had a sad look in his eyes. Although his face was mostly covered by his hair, his crimson eyes stood out most in the darkness.

"You ok?" asked the little pest. Link looked at him, a concerned look on his face. "You look kinda down"

"How about you mind your own business?" said Stygan, bitterly. "I'm not four years-old anymore" The dark Hylian turned around and started walking towards the town's gates.

While he was walking towards the gates, Stygan heard the annoying insect ask her mute boyfriend "what's his problem?"

Stygan walked into Hyrule field. As he walked he looked towards the Lon Lon Ranch. The memories flooded back.

"Do you live down here?" That voice. So sweet. The voice of an angel. Although she has grown older, he still recognizes that voice of the past.

His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar sound. It wasn't a good sound either. He had been walking while thinking. As he soon found out; walking and deep thoughts don't mix well. He looked up to see what he was hoping hadn't made that sound. But alas, it was. The giant helicopter-like pant up-rooted it's self and was flying towards him. It's deadly, gigantic blades slicing the air. It was a Peahat. The giant pineapple looking plant floated there. Its red leaves grew out of the top and sloped down steeply.

Stygan instantly reached for his trusty shield which, he found, he had left back in Anju's house. Instead of grabbing the red shield, he grabbed the air. He grabbed frantically around his back, looking for it.

"Shit!" he screamed. He quickly dove and did a rolling somersault, dodging the long sharp blades of what people could only assume were hardened mineral tissue that it developed for protection and flight. The Peahat's blades missed Stygan and hit the ground, kicking up random blades of grass and clouds of dirt. Stygan started running for the nearest grotto. The blades of the Peahat bounced off the ground. The Peahat balanced itself out and came for him again. Stygan kept pumping his legs. He was a fast runner, but the Peahat was faster. There were only a few feet between Stygan and the grotto. There were, unfortunately, less than a few feet between the Peahat and Stygan as well. Stygan took a leap of faith and dove for the hole. The leap of faith quickly turned into a leap of unfaith as he landed four feet away from the hole. Instead of safety, he got a face full of dirt and grass. The Peahat's blades were gaining on him now. He crawled on his belly towards the hole. He grabbed the edge of the hole and yanked himself inside. He tumbled down into the dark dirt cavern. He lay there, gulping air, his chest heaving. He lay there for what felt like hours. He finally sat up and looked at his surroundings. The grotto was small. There was a grassy patch where the sun shone through the hole in the ceiling. Stygan had been lying in the shadows.

"That's the last time I do that again!" he said to himself. His voice seemed to be quieted in the damp soil cavern. He had forgotten how quiet it was in these grottos. Almost all the sounds of outside never reached into these grottos. He looked to the left and saw a pool of water that was caught in the small valleys of grey dirt. Stygan crawled over to the pool. There was a small fish swimming inside. At least if he got hungry he'd have something to eat. He cupped his hands and scooped up some water. He leaned over the pool and looked at his reflection. His pale skin had patches of dirt and his black tunic had grass stains and rips in it. He looked at his arms. No major injuries, just some scrapes and bruises and old battle scars. He rolled up his pant leg to reveal a taught muscular leg. He checked his legs. Nothing but scrapes and battle scars. He rolled down his pant leg and went to go for another drink when something caught his eye. It was on the far wall in front of him. It looked like a drawing of some sort in the soil wall. He got up and walked over to it. It was a drawing of what looked like a little boy and girl. This picture was drawn in a time long forgotten by the dark Hylian. But it wasn't forgotten, how could he forget? All of the sudden he felt dizzy. He went over to the spot where he was lying and laid down again. He closed his eyes and sleep quickly followed.

"Do you really live down here?"

"Yes"

"How do you eat?"

Stygan awoke to the familiar sound of horse hooves trotting overtop of him. They passed over him. He heard them fade away. He quickly fell back to sleep. This time there were no voices of the past. There was only darkness.

End of Chapter II