When the Bell tolls, the Flame wanes
The world shrouded in a veil of black
When the Bell tolls, the Fateful will emerge to kindle the Flame anew
Countless Chosen in times past linked the Fire, their destiny beyond recalcitrance
Now the Bell once more tolls
The Dark Lords, once derelict in their duty, refusing Cinder, have now awoken to reclaim their world
Steery, who reigns over the Valley of Perpetual Twilight
Mithina of the Sunlight Fields
Aelfhun who dwells within the Royal Crypt
Othere, the Champion
"Fairy boy! Hurry up and get to work!" Malon angrily struck the stable door. How could he still be asleep? She wondered, the boy waltzes back into Hyrule-after Goddesses know how long-from what she could only perceive to be a vacation. A vacation from what? She wasn't aware of any employment and for all he knew the boy she knew as a kid was a mere drifter, a charming one, who jumped from haybed to haybed mooching off the labors of others. "Link!" She shouted.
Link stirred, rustling the hay in every direction in a vain attempt to drown out the noise. "Mmmm. Alright." He called out. He grasped every bit of straw as he stretched and sat upright just as the door swung open. Malon stood in the entry, the sunlight obscuring her into a silhouette. "You are so hopeless sometimes." She stomped towards the overgrown child, grabbed one arm firmly, and yanked him forward. Link felt the momentum taking him down and reacted. "Between you and my father, it's no wonder why I refuse to have kids." Groggily Link brushed the hay off the pajamas Malon was kind enough to fasten for him.
He looked at her and she at him, his eyes still heavy and adjusting to the morning sunshine, hers full of agitation. "You need to pick the coocoo eggs and milk the cows. After that, I want you to clean up after the horses." The agenda for the day, usually the same thing, he cleans and harvests while she tends to the house work and feeding the animals. As for Talon, well his sleep schedule seems to wear him out more than any ounce of labor could manage, thus his duties fell unto Ingo the Ranch Hand. Link nodded, knowing full well anything he'd say would only earn him further ire from Malon.
So the day went, Link gathered the eggs, cleaned up the mess left by the livestock, and milked the cows. Malon would fulfill her responsibilities as the defacto Manager of Lon Lon Ranch, the foremost source of Hyrule's food production. The extra set of hands supplied by the Hero of Time assisted greatly in keeping production high and easing the burden of having to share the labor between her and Ingo.
The daily chores were done and Link could feel the true sensation of an honest day's work. His body quaked and his legs were practically wet Gerudo sand, he wouldn't complain though, afterall, he had food and shelter in exchange for his services. He dragged his drained body from the stable after fixing up the makeshift bed he provided for him. "Hey Link come'ere a second." Malon called out to him just as he stepped out. "Is there something else you need for me to do?" He asked massaging his aching hands.
"Why yes there is." She responded smiling.
"What do you need?"
"We are going to the Market. We're remarkably ahead of schedule and so we need to get some supplies for the Ranch." Link blinked for a moment and promptly nodded at her suggestion. A man of so little words. She signed, hoping for a more gleeful response but, anything is better than nothing she thought. Link and Malon would saddle up, board the wagon, and head towards the Hyrule Castle Town Market.
The hustle and bustle of the Market was a daily occurrence, people scrambling from one stand to the next eager to hear some new mystical product that would make life easy for them. Children hung excitedly off their parents arms, tugging them in every direction. Lysander dodged and tiptoed his way through the crowd.
"What purpose is there? I've lost everything." A man dressed in rags lay slump on the stone streets. Lysander took a glance at the unfortunate soul before passing him by. As prosperous as Hyrule was, it was still an era not without struggle nor some sort of despair. Despair leads to questioning one's purpose. And that leads… His mind trailed off before he could finish the thought. He tugs on his cloak to shield his face from the public though none seemed to pay him any mind.
"I'll take," Malon paused as she eyed the building material laid out in each isle, "these planks, some nails, and these shingles." The Ranch was in for some much needed repairs and she wanted to make sure they didn't leave town without them. She would also have to pick up some feed for the livestock. "Link, I need you to load these up to the wagon." Link proceeded to do as he was told. The trials of running a business such as a Ranch were demanding and extensive, it was a wonder how Malon's father ever managed it upon inheriting it from his own family. So much time, money, and resources. But she was determined her "white knight" would come whisk her away and take care of her, she just wished Link fit that description. But no. He has to be a lump!
The wagon was loaded with the necessary supplies, though the horses were uncooperative. "Lucine! What's wrong?" Malon asked with concern in her voice. The horse whined and thrashed as she tried to sooth it. Link too was perplexed by it all. "What has gotten into her?"
"Someone help!" The townsfolk one by one turned their heads, almost frozen in time as their attention directed to the sound of the scream. Lysander gazes over, that's the alley where I came from. The helpless screams pierced the once lively scene of the Castle Town Market and onlookers were paralyzed at the sight before them. Lysander starts towards the scene but not before two other strangers hastily come into view.
A destitute gentleman in rags stumbled on his own feet. His body darkened like leather and sunken as if left out to dry. His eyes, Goddesses, his eyes. "H...help….m-me." His contorted plea was met with panicked witnesses who dared not to approach. He reached out with skeletal fingers dripping with the crimson color of blood. "That monster!" One local called outloud, "He killed that woman!" Just at the shambling man's feet lay the freshly mauled corpse of a Hylian, her throat and jaw forcibly removed.
Link and Malon watched in terror as the creature roared a piercing shriek not unlike the ReDeads encountered years earlier and lunged forward at the crowd. "Get away!" The citizens scattered, screaming and hollering as another victim fell to the grizzly attacker. "Link what is that?" Malon whimpered as she stepped back tugging tightly on his clothes. I don't have a weapon. I don't have anything! Gotta think! "ReDead perhaps." He muttered before rushing the creature. Without thinking about his next move Link maneuvered his arms around it, disabling its movements. It thrashed, screeching and snarling as it desperately tried to break free. "You're strong." He forced the monster to its knees and proceeded to faceplant it on the ground. "H-h-humanity." Was all it could utter in its struggle.
"Step aside boy." Link looked up as a stranger garbed in a thick dark cloak approached them. "You don't want to fall prey to this." The stranger drew a slender blade from his waste.
"But-"
"I said 'move'." Lysander commanded more forcibly this time. Link huffed and quickly un-handed the hysterical creature. With a swift downward thrust at its head, the creature fell limp and ceased its movement. The Market streets were empty, void of any life aside from the three individuals and the bodies.
Malon couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Sure she knew about the various dangers that roamed the fields of Hyrule and had heard stories of the unholy creatures that lurked in its darkest depths. To see them? That opened her eyes to a whole different side of the world she felt better being ignorant about. When Link uttered the name "ReDead" under his she immediately realized that Fairy Boy was holding in something he hadn't the will to speak of. A side she'd never witnessed, even on the surface. "A-are you alright?" She asked visually examining his clothes for any injury. Besides the blood smattering his clothes, he seemed in good health. Is he though? She wondered.
Link didn't answer and instead kept his attention on the stranger who just slew the "ReDead". "Boy," Lysander started as he sheathed his sword, "if you want to die recklessly I won't stop you."
"I should say the same thing to you. You don't realize how dangerous ReDeads can truly be. One look from their sight-"
"That was a Hollow."
"A what?"
"Humans gone mad. Lost their purpose in life and forsook their sanity. They prey on those whom Humanity still resides in." Link didn't understand what he was hearing. Hollows? Humanity? What is this guy talking about? It made no sense, at least not to him. The slain creature was clearly undead, not human. "I suppose I ought to introduce myself to you. I am Lysander of Lothric."
"Link."
"Malon."
Lysander removed his hood, revealing his face. He was a middle aged man, strong facial features with hair as dark as the Hyrulean night sky. "Now that we are acquainted. I suppose I should-"
The conversation cut short as the clanking of armor rattled the quiet streets. "You three don't move!" Well this is certainly unfortunate. The Hyrulean Royal Guard had finally made it to the scene. "What is the meaning of this?" The lead Guard asked. He turns his sights on Link still covered in blood. "I suppose you have something to do with this?"
Link frantically tried to respond, "N-no! You see-"
"You are all coming with us. It is ill advised to resist."
"Please listen-" Malon tried to plead but it was no use.
"Silence! Take them to the Castle at once!"
Great! This isn't how today was suppose to turn out. Link, Lysander, and Malon were all fitted with cuffs and promptly escorted to Hyrule Castle.
So I haven't published much in a while. So much unfinished work in my archives. Man. Anyways, I'm very rusty so I would hope you guys enjoyed this introductory chapter.