Eleven o'clock, A.M. Almost noon...and in a desert, that was the most dangerous time to be out. Unfortunately for one peep-squeak farmer kid, noon was exactly when he could stop working.
With a heavy heave, the little farmer boy pulled his hoe over head and dropped it back down. The soft ground broke apart, continuing the boy's twelve or thirteenth trench of dirt. The kid's back ached and his muscles swell as the blazing sun went on to burn over head. Hylian's weren't made for the desert sun, the boy thought to himself as you chopped into the earth, but it's my fault that I'm working. If I had woke up at 3 instead of 5, I would have had this done by now.
The farmer boy halted in his work. Straightening his back, the kid looked across the looked across the flat landscape and the clear blue sky. He turned around from where he stood, finding small well sticking out of ground a few yards away from him. The well had been their only source of water, the nearest ones miles away in any direction. It supplied the life-quenching liquid to the plants and the boy's family, both.
The little farmer kid looked past the tiny well to the household, just beyond a wooden fence. Bearly large enough for a family of four, the white covered house was built in the same style as the desert natives' construction. With a tiny second story and a bigger ground floor, the home featured two upstair bedrooms, a lovely little kitchen, a fully equipped outhouse in the back, two doors in the back and the front...the front door... ... The father farmer was leaning in doorway, staring at the boy, and letting a heavy sigh escape his lips as he took in his daydreaming son.
With an apologetic smile beamed back to the father, the farmer boy picked up his hoe and went back to work. Raising the tool over head once again, the boy stopped when noticed a gust of dusty forming on the horizon. Now this was worth a second look...a sandy storm was a risky affair, being that kills people and all!! The little farmer kid squinted at the cloud that was slowly growing larger and larger. It wasn't a storm...it was too small...the cloud was just large enough to engulf the farmer, but nothing more. The cloud was coming closer and little farmer boy could pick out dark figures in the middle of the dust.
"Alexsun! Get into the house!!" The father called over to the boy. The farmer kid looked over to the man and blinked, "Alexsun!! NOW!!!"
The boy nodded and quickly ran up to the house. Jumping the fence (and almost falling on his face), the farmer kid rushed past his father and to the window next to the door. The dust cloud was much larger by then, the boy could fully see what the dark figures were...horsemen, dozens of them, racing towards their tiny farm! At the lead was monster of a man, towering overall the other riders as he held a long spear. On the end of the spear, a brown colt's severed head was implied in gruesome display.
The troop of horsemen stopped near the small well. Some the men jumped down from their horse, others remained in the saddle. The massive leader dropped from his horse with a thud, handing his spear and 'decoration' to a nearby rider, and started walking over to the house. The boy ripped his head to his father as the older farmer dash to a wooden cabinet. He withdrew a steel sword the cabinet's confines and the farmer kid's eyes widened. Right about then, the mother entered the room... ...
"Geis! What's going on?!!!" The mother asked frantically, "Who are these men?!!"
"I don't know, but they're terrible" The father stated as he pushed his son to the base of a staircase, "Go upstairs with your brother"
The boy started up the stairs, but only went up halfway. The farmer kid looked over to his mother, through the rail-posts, as she slowly back towards the wall. The father was standing in the doorway, arms to his side as he waited for the giant of a visitor. The boy could hear the gravel crunch under the huge man's footsteps, getting louder and louder as he grow nearer and nearer. The father tensed up as footsteps sounded right outside the door.
"Mister, I don't know what you want but it's not here" The father proclaimed defiantly, but he still backed up. Through the door, the man came... ... The boy's heart jumped to his throat as saw the mountain in human-guise walk in, his beard hitting his waist and head bald almost touching the ceiling, "Mister...please don't do something we'll regret..."
The giant man glared down at the father and took another step forward. The older farmer speedily match the move and backed up. With another step forward and few shuffles backward, the dance continued and the two head back to the family dinner table. Taking out a seat, the large man sat down and a clump of dust rang up from his person, only to silently fall to the floor. The father sat down on the other side of the table, his arm holding the sword resting on it's surface.
The man looked over to the side of the table, finding the family's remnants of breakfast. Sliding a bowl of oatmeal to him, the giant man took a dorfed spoon in his huge hand and began to slowly chump away on the meal. The man ate and the family watch in nail-biting silence. After the third or fourth spoon, the man spoke... ...
"You saw our symbol, the spear I held..." The man related as took another spoon full and swallowed, "...you know who I am"
For a moment the father's face was blank...then he gasped in recognition... ...
"Hagen...leader of the Horse Head Marauders..." The older farmer whispered aloud. The father slowly breathed in and bent his head down. He gently place the sword full down on the table, "Please. We have nothing of value beside this farm...and maybe this sword..." He pushed the weapon across the table, in hopes of...something other than death, "Take what you wish, but please don't harm my family!"
Hagen didn't take any notice to the action (or didn't appear to) and continued to eat the oatmeal. The farmer kid could see the sweat running down his father's face. Looking over to the mother, the boy saw her whole body twisting in anguish as she sniffed in a cry. It confused the boy...and scared him that this man could effect his parents so much... ...
"I'm looking...for a man" Hagen announced as he reached over the table and grabbed a piece of bacon, "He's sheikah. White hair, mask over his face..." He paused and took a bite out of the bacon. A frown erupted across Hagen's face and stuck his tongue and flicked the bacon bits off, "This is the first bad bacon I have ever had..."
"Mr. Hagen, PLEASE!!" The father farmer exclaimed, "We don't know anything about any sheikah! I don't want to upset you, but please go!"
"...I know your lying... ..."
"Mr. Hagen, PLEAS-" But older farmer was cut off by the mother... ...
"Please!! You have to believe us!!!" The woman frantically cried as rushed to the table, "He was here, but he lift for Bulbin territory!!"
"NICOLE!!!!" The father bellowed, but the mother went on... ...
"You must believe me!! Please!! PLEASE!!! We don't know anything else!! You must beli-"
The woman's words were interrupted as Hagen rose up and swung a massive fist at the mother's chin. The mother flew back and crashed against the wall, landing on the floor underneath. The huge man sat back down and started shifting through the breakfast remnants again.
"MOM!!!" The boy called out and ran to the woman's side. The mother didn't move, didn't blink, as the farmer kid shook her, "Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom Mom MMMOOOMMM!!!!!!!!" She didn't move...she didn't blink... ...
The father was frozen to his seat as he watched his younger son shake his wife. Was it really happening? Was he going to wake up in his bed, his wife safely beside him...to just be haunted by the image instead of having it laid out in front of him... ...
"So...why is he going there" Hagen posed in between bites. The older farmer looked back at him in amazement. He knew?! The father thought in wonder, of course he knew... ...
"He said a man was there that he needed to meet..." The father replied slowly, "Ganondorf...the demon thief..."
"Ganondorf...?!" Hagen repeated in surprise as he stop eating.
Without another word, the giant man stood up and walked towards the door. The boy and father farmers were too engross with the mother's fate to see there guest out, so he took the liberty of doing so. As Hagen neared the exist, a shrieking yell called from behind him. When he turned, the huge man found a male, younger than the father but older than the boy...a middle. He was holding a spear, pointing it straight towards Hagen's heart...or the place where the man's heart should be... ...
"AMOS!! NO!!!" The father farmer exclaimed, but the older boy didn't listen.
With a scream that matched his last the older boy charge forth at Hagen, spear thrusting out, determined to run the giant man through. Hagen swiped his great hand before him and caught the weapon, right below it's head, and deflected the spear away from him. The boy gasped and yanked back, however Hagen continue to grip the spear with his powerful hand, denying the older farmer boy.
"You have a nerve to you, kid..." Hagen announced as pulled the weapon away and throw it to the wall, "But you shouldn't hesitate next time. This time you lost your chance to kill"
The older boy glared back at the huge man...though his eyes betrayed his fear. Hagen turned back to the door and left the farmer family just like that, the father and youngest son weeping over the mother and the oldest son staring after Hagen as he walked back to the troop of man. It didn't bother the marauders' leader at what he had done, he didn't even give it a second thought...no...he was concerned with this new information about the sheikah man. He was in Bublin lands and looking for Ganondorf...of all people... ...
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"Hakkei!!!" Spinning ovals of lighting flew from Okiru's hands and raced towards Iago.
"Tamayoke!!!" The older shaman called back as he traced pentagram in the air. The lines he traced appeared as gold and the image of the triforce shone in it's middle. A bubble form around Iago, absorbing the lighting that about to hit him as the rest zoomed past and exploded loudly against a cliff, "... ...Come on, Okiru-otouto. You still can not fire straight..."
The young shaman gritted his teeth together and glared at Iago. Okiru had put a lot of his strength into that blast, but the older shaman practically shrugged the attack off!! When did Iago get so strong, the boy wondered to himself, he never showed this amount of power before. The shield of energy continued to shimmer around the older shaman. With his last strike being so hopelessly ineffective, Okiru had zero options of attack. But the boy was determined to try... ...
Summon power to his legs, the young shaman screamed towards Iago at full force. Nearing the bubble's edge, Okiru reared his arm back and slammed his naked fist against the older shaman's shield. A slight quiver circled around Okiru's fist, though nothing else. The potential energy from the punch ricashade back up the boy's arm, causing it to cry out in pain. A grunt and a small whimper escaped the young shaman's throat, but Okriu stayed true and continued to thrust forward.
"Your actions will prove fruitless..." Iago called out with a frown. Okiru ignored him and pushed on, "You spent half your strength on your Hakkei attack and I still blocked it. You can not hope to break through with brute force!!"
"WATCH ME!!!!" The boy hollered back.
With deep growl, Okiru gathered up all his remaining energy and released it all out of his thrusting hand. Arches of electricity and lighting flew from the young shaman's fist, creating an aw-inspiring display as it plumbed Iago's shield. The old shaman tensed up as he felt the bubble loose energy. He quickly placed his hands together and started to focus on the strength of shield, muttering a small chant under his breath.
On the battleground sidelines, Meeko and Puck were watching the scene as they sat on pins and needles. Who would win...Okiru's show of forceful power or Iago's steady concentration. The blonde maiden tried to push some words out of her throat, but Rinkar's spell prevent anything save gasps. The poor girl sunk to the ground and hit her balled up hand against it.
"Meeko-san, don't get so upset" The pink fairy girl said softly as she hover next to the maiden's face, "You can't do anything as long as you can't speak chants."
Meeko clenched her eyes shut as the frustration welled inside her. She had so much power that could help Okiru win, but the maiden couldn't use a ounce of it. The fact ate away at her, at her heart...she could do nothing... ...
The blonde girl looked back at the black cloaked wizard. Rinkar was watching the two shaman's exchange with a certain type of glee. Doesn't he care that Iago might loss? The maiden thought silently, maybe he's that confident that his disciple's strength. If that's the case, Okiru's in serious trouble!!
"You can not win this way, Okiru-otouto!!" The older shaman shouted over the popping lighting. The boy cringed at the extension of his name, "It is hopeless!!"
"You just keep calling me that without a care in the world...YOU DAMN BASTARD!!!!"
The storm around the two doubled and with one great electric strike, the shield fell apart. Iago was stun! The young shaman charged forward, delivering a uppercut to the elder shaman's chin and knocking him back a yard, to the ground.
Okiru gulped for air as the world came rushing back to the boy. His whole arm sudden stung with pain, and looking down the young saw his hand a light shade of pink, his knuckles burnt. To say it, 'hurt like hell' would had been an understatement (It really hurt like hell!!!), but the overwhelming surge of pride took the bite for the hand... ...A hallow pride, though... ...
"Keh keh keh keh keh!!" The abrupt cackle turned Okiru's attention to Rinkar, "...you foolish boy...YOU'VE LOST!!!"
No sooner than the cloaked wizard finished, a thick wooden vine ripped from the earth snared around the young shaman's wrist. A second vine whipped out and wrapped around the other arm...then another jumped out and another! Okiru's feet, legs, and waist soon were all fastened by the roots, a final vine squeezed about the boy's throat. He struggled...but the bounds only tighten their hold.
"Never end without following through, Okiru..." The young shaman turned back to the older as he stooped over the ground. Rolling over to look at the boy, Okiru found a familiar encircled design in the dirt where Iago had moved from. A spell wheel, one that would control the elements of nature. The elder shaman had quickly drawn the diagram after he fell, "...You left yourself open...I attacked..."
"Keh keh keh!! Well done, Iago!" Rinkar related in praise as the older shaman stood up, "I have to say I was worried when your little defensive failed, but you countered his attack beautifully. Now...end this...so we can move on."
Iago slowly walked up to the younger shaman and stopped in front of him. He looked the boy up and down, taking his whole form in with a frown across his face. Okiru glared back. Hot words waited at the tip of his tongue, but his fury clenched his teeth too firmly together to speak them.
"...Okiru-otouto... ..." Iago looked away before he could finish. Raising his hand to touch the boy's chest, the older shaman began to chant, "Upon darkest soul and unclean devils, hear this cry. This flesh is not flesh; this bone is not bone...air and vapor is the nature, open to the black world to touch..."
The young shaman looked down at Iago's hand...as it started to sink through the boy's clothes and into his chest itself!! With every inch, Okiru could feel the hand moving deeper, brushing against his lungs, his heart, and whatever else, as Iago continued to push into him. As the older shaman's wrist passed through, Iago found goal.
With a tug and a pull, a torrent of pain screamed through the boys body. Okiru bellowed out as Iago continued on to pull and sent another surge through the young shaman. The soul of a thirteen year boy was being yanked out...before him and audience to see... ....
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The whole atmosphere around the Kakarikohime shine complex was black. Dark clouds, dark air, DARK EVERYTHING!!! Saha and Link were both frozen to the spot as they watched the anthropomorphic shadow of the white haired stranger and the teardrop stone. The two entities in one shifted and grew, two's heads taller than the hero, then third! The giant sword the stranger held began to shrink in comparison to the form's hand, fitting as a one handed weapon instead of a two... ...
"What's going on...?" Link said aloud in disbelieve. The elderly shaman answered... ...
"Whoever this young warrior is, he has awaken an evil beast from the depths of Death Mountain. The mother of all Octorok, Pontoppidan... ..."
"Pon-top-pi-dan?"
"Indeed" The old man replied, "A demon from another world...who spawned the insidious Octorok. She was sealed into a massive bead of jade, changing it's lively green color with her unholy powers."
The two's attentions were torn back to the double entity as it slowly stomped it's way to Link and Saha. Lifting up the great sword, the entity chopped downward at the pair with an air splitting force. The hero jumped to the elderly shaman and threw the two of them out of the massive weapon's path. The blade fell, inches from where Saha and Link laid, crashing into the ground and sinking down to it's hilt. The hero didn't even take an extra second to think, he just grabbed the old man and dash!!
When the two where a distance away from the creature, Link looked back. As the entity yanked it's sword out of the earth, it's shadow covering melted away, leaving a fierce opponent. The lightly armored stranger had taking on heavier suit of metal and steel, tinted cold purple and black. A dark violet shield was strapped to the stranger's right arm as his left gripped the massive blade (that look's familiar). His head was withdrawn in a black metal helmet, with a flat top and a long cylinder where the mouth would have been.
The great armored stranger held up his giant of sword above his head. The action puzzled the pair, they were far out of reach...was he going to run after the two like an anger, oversize toddler? The massive blade began to glow with white hot energy, warping the air around it...then the stranger slammed it down against a the dirt. A torrent of light leaped from the sword and raced toward Saha and Link, like a wave towards the coast. Without sparring a moment, Saha jumped in front of the hero and raised hands, as thought catch the coming wave.
"Tamayoke!!!" The elderly shaman roared and a bubble of blue energy was commanded forth around the two.
The energy wave washed over the shield and continued race along without a notice, straight across the whole shrine complex. When it ended, the entire complex was gone... The Kaka Miya Shrine, the smaller shrines, the the old man's house...all flattened and turned to dust. The elderly shaman wobbled back and fell to his rear, dropping the bubble. Link looked down in concern as the old man breathed heavily, sweat forming on his brow. The force of the attack was awesome...and Saha had started to feel the repercussions of a small taste of such an attack.
"I am fine..." Saha sighed out, "But we were lucky to have survive that brutal onslaught... ...We were almost vaporized..."
"Saha...what can we do?!!" The hero exclaimed as he unsteadily sank down next to the old man, "He makes a Darknut look like a tin can!!"
"In true fashion, you mortals are as weak in the mind as you are in your SMALL flesh!" The voice from the bead announced from inside the armored stranger, "I am all powerful...UNDEFEATABLE!! There is a only one hope for you... ... A quick death!!! Ha! Ha! Ha!!!! Don't expect it, though!!"
"Despite her talk, Link-san, she is weakened..." Saha piped in, "The monster is probably tried from such a powerful attack. I have no doubt that she had tried to overwhelm my own defensive with shear force...but underestimated my holy powers."
"So no more fancy light shows, huh..." Link pushed himself up into a stand. Now that he knew there was a chance to beat the armored foe, he started to feel his confidence running back, "Right. I've fought opponents way bigger than this guy!"
"Link-san, be wary of the creature! Even though I said she had exhausted much of her energy, she should still be able to launch smaller light attacks that would easily incinerate flesh in a instant."
... ...So much for confidence... How about plain stupidity (Link's got that in spades!). The hero rushed forward, slashing out his sword and shield, and took mighty leap into the air. The armored stranger instantly moved into action, catching Link's blade with it's purple teardrop and push Link back to the ground. The hero landed on his feet, recovered, and pushed his sword into a thruster aimed at the stranger's belly. At the moment of impact, sparks flew and the blade rocketed back, cause the green clad warrior to stumble backward a few steps.
It looks like conventional attacks won't work, Link thought as he caught himself. Sheathing his sword, the hero reached into his pack and withdrew the magical ice wand. With a flick of his wrist, Link sent an icy wind towards the stranger and froze the monster up to it's shins. With it's legs encased, Link ran behind the stranger and replaced his wand. With sword in hand, the hero recoiled himself... then popped into a jump! Sailing through air, roaring out of his mouth, the hero delivered a powerful 'Jump Strike' into the monster's back.
"AAAHHH!!" The stranger cried...though the attack had not cut through the armor, it was obvious that the strike had done some harm. However, the dark voice inside the armor told a different story, "Your feeble attempts of damaging this one is hopless. This is the body give to me to destroy the world with!!!! With hero's flesh, I will blanket the kingdoms in death and hell fire!!"
The stranger ripped it's leg out of the frost case, sending shards of ice flying...causing Link to instinctively raise his arms. Looking over his limbs, the hero gasped and sprung backward, performing a flip as a massive sword raced from side to side. After landing, Link quickly raised up his sword and caught the giant blade before it sliced through him. The great force pushed down on the hero, straining his muscles and burning his arms, but with mighty swing Link knocked the sword away and jumped out of reach.
The hero stood still, breathing heavily with his joints aching...and this was just the first few minutes of fight!! His great armored opponent held itself erect, unfazed and ready to get back at it. Just one of those days... , Link silently thought, time to make my money's worth! Link charged forward with a yell and restarted his session of cuts, slash, and thrusts...with little hope of falling the demonic ironclad mountain... ...
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"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The horrid screams filled the graveyard and hint the current residents ears with piercing notes of agony (Translation: OW!).
Okiru groan loudly as Iago continued to shift through his insides. It was very neat, considering the event...not a single drop of blood or bodily fluid fell, nor did it appear on the older shaman's arm. To any common viewer, it seemed as though Iago was sticking his arm through an imaginary figure, without a solid mass. But to Meeko it was almost as painful to watch as was to experience. The blonde maiden wanted to looked away and as she tried she found herself frozen stiff, unable to move at all. It was fear that kept her there, fear for her, and the shock of Iago's actions that held her still. Puck on the other hand didn't meet such limitations... ...
"STOP IT!!!!!!" The tiny fairy bellowed and rocketed forward. With eyes full of tears she charged into the older shaman, "DON'T HURT OKI-KUN!!!"
Puck knocked into Iago with her whole body, but the action didn't do much. After a few strikes, the young man swiped at the pink fairy girl and bashed her to the ground. Okiru and Meeko both gasped from there respective places. The young shaman growled at Iago, then tried to move his arms and legs...all to naught. Meeko had finally overcame her horror after seeing Puck's fall and raced toward the two. The older shaman turned his directions to the coming maiden, frown still plastered across his face. Raising his free hand, Iago flatly uttered a single... ...
"...Hakkei..."
Amber light spiraled around in the older shaman's hand, taking a moment come together, then flung out as ball of flame at the girl's feet. Meeko came to a sudden hault and started to turn around, but the blast had alright hit and the ground underneath her exploded up. The blonde maiden swore through the air and land with a thud and a roll. Coughing out for breath, Meeko wobbled into a sitting position. Her skin stung with scraps and burns from the explosion. Looking over to the two shaman, the maiden found Iago back to tearing out the boy's soul, as Okiru screamed in pain.
"Okiru-otouto...you should just give up..." The older shaman said slowly, between the yells, "Death will stop the pain, stop your suffering... ... The way you are, you can not win."
Iago's words circled throughout the boy's mind. The initial idea of dieing filled him with terror...but the thought of ending tightly stringed knot in his the pit of his stomach was... ...
So many years of hurt. No one helping him, no one expressing any hint of caring for all his life... is that a life? Okiru hung his head down to the ground, the older shaman's arm still projected from his chest but the pain was a hundred miles away. Was there another choice? He could not win-
"OKIRU, YOU IDOIT!!! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!!!!!" The unexpected cry turned Okiru's, Iago's, and Rinkar's attentions to the blonde girl on the ground. No one had seen that coming (You would think I would, but I didn't!!!). Meeko went on in a raspy voice, "You can't listen to him! You can defeat him...I know you can!!" The young shaman listened in aw, but Iago held his stone-face and he simply narrowed his eyes at her, "I know when I first met you I thought you were some egotistic little kid...but your more than that..." Meeko looked back. A few yards away two yellow object laid in the grass... the two that would form one round whole, "You understand when someone's sad or hurt...and you try to help. Your better than him, you can beat him!!"
The boy was astonished, bewildered, wordless. He stared at the maiden in silence, not sure if she actually said what his ears heard. Meeko answered back with a slight nod and a smirk upon her face. It made Okiru want to smile back, but the pain washing through his body his body stopped him (there's a hand in his chest!!). Suddenly a figure appeared behind the girl. Meeko twisted around and found the black cloaked Rinkar standing over her... ...
"It appears that my spell has worn off." The dark wizard related down at the maiden with sinister grin, "Let's try a more contemporary method... ..."
Rinkar shifted back his body to one side, then unleashed a low kick right into the blonde girl's chin. Meeko yelp as the foot met her and her head flung to the earth where she laid, knock out. The young shaman's eyes bugged out as the rage build within him. He pulled on his vine constraints and growled from deep with his throat.
"LEAVE HER ONLY!!!" The boy bellowed, but Iago quickly joined and turned his attentions... ...
"Okiru...you must realize that you have no prospect of succeeding. Your both dead..." The boy glared back at the older shaman, gritting his teeth and contorting his brow.
"No, Iago...YOUR DEAD!!!!!" Okiru reached down into himself and summoned all his remaining strength with yell. The sudden surge of energy knocked Iago back a couple steps, ripping his hand from the young shaman's chest. Electricity ran down the boys limbs and dissolved the root bindings, as Okiru began to chant:
"Takama no Hara ni Kamu zumari masu
"Kamurogi Kamuromi no mikoto mochite
"Sume mi oya kamu... Din... Farore... Nagru... ..."
"You fool!! You can not use such attack now!!" The older shaman exclaimed, "In your state, it would kill you!! This is insanity!!!" But the young shaman paid no heed... ...
"Misogi harae tamaishi toki ni are maseru...
"...Haraedo no O Kamitachi!!!"
The ground under Iago began to glow and project a white light. Five golden lines started to form in the dust, constructing a pentagram with the triforce in the middle. A second past as the young man looked down at the symbol in terror...then a sudden beam of pure white light ripped from the earth Iago was on and engulfed the shaman. The beam continued to swore up into the sky, up above the heavens themselves. Back at the shrine complex, Link and the stranger halted their battle and gazed upon the light. All throughout Hyrule, people stopped in their actions and stared up at the beam before it eventually dissipated.
As the attack ended it left behind a battered Iago, torn clothes and soldered flesh. He stood still for a moment, face riddled in agony, then he fell straight down. After another second, Okiru followed suit and landed on his back, breathing heavily for some hope of relieve. The crunching of gravel under foot moved the boys thoughts from himself to the world around him. Looking up, the young shaman saw the vision of the black cloaked man, scowling down at him... ...
"What now, boy? You throw yourself on the flame, exhausting it's heat, only to find that you are in a burning forest. Singed from one fire to be eaten by another. A brave...foolish decision. You are now under my will, my hand... " Rinkar leveled his outstretched palm to Okiru, viewing him with a discontented expression. As he was about to say the word, the word of dieing, a voice cried out... ...
"NO!! WAIT!!" Craning his head to see the caller, the boy found Iago...pushing himself off the ground and moving towards where he laid, "... I beg you to stay your hand, Master Rinkar. He has beaten me... he has the right of mercy... ..."
"Even if you say that 'he has the right', it would have no bearing to me." The wizard retorted coldly, turning full to his apprentice, "In my concern, mercy is for the vanquished...the weak...not the victor... ...
"But I think I will consider leaving the boy be." The older shaman blinked at Rinkar's sudden change of heart. The cloaked man lips turned up in a sinister grin, "For you see...it wasn't this little shaman that has gone against me...but you, my young apprentice... ..."
A black sphere appeared in Rinkar's raised hand, encircled by arcs of blue lighting. Iago gasped at the sight and recoiled back. The dark wizard pulled his arm back and threw the ball of black...past Iago and into the sky. It stopped and hovered in the air some distance for the ground.
"I don't know why, but held yourself back during your fight" Rinkar quote, looking to the sphere as it swelled up large and large, "Perhaps you simply underestimated the boy. Or...it was from some subconscious cue to keep the youth from harm. Whatever the case...you have failed me. And failure...marks punishment... ..."
The ball of black had tripled in size and it was evident to see that it was spinning around it's center. The wind began to change, moving from the sides to blow from underneath...? The wind built upon itself, becoming violent and it was then that Iago realized that it wasn't the wind blowing...it was the sphere sucking in air around it and taking it into it's void. There was only one thing that would end the sphere's pull, and the older shaman knew what. Iago bent his head down and faced the ground, his face was straight and reflected a state of true understanding.
"Okiru..." The young man called over to the shaman as he was blocking his face from the wind. Iago smiled and said in a whisper, "... ...Okiru...my brother... ..."
The storm doubled. The wind pick up the older shaman off the ground and started to threw him about, like giant hand twirling a rag doll. Iago revolved around the black sphere third times, circling closer, until he disappeared into the surface of the ball. The sphere then suffled and simply faded away... ...
Okiru watch the whole affair in stone silence and frozen joints. Iago is...gone...? The boy continued to ask this to himself, not sure if it was a dream or not. He hoped it was a dream, a nightmare that would in the next few moments. One...two...third...the young shaman counted the seconds, but with everyone that past the scene became more and more real.
The black wizard twisted back to the boy. His perplexed and awed state prompted an eyebrow to raise on Rinkar's face. He just punished someone who disobeyed him...big deal... As interested as Okiru's reaction was, Rinkar had more pressing issues to attend to. When the young shaman looked to the cloaked man, and in that instant he suddenly disappeared... ...
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Back at the destroyed shrine complex, Link was still combating the great armored stranger (and let me tell you, it ain't easy fighting a giant monster covered in iron). The monster hadn't shown any sign slowing...Link on the other hand... ... The hero had tried every trick that he knew, but nothing worked. The armor was just too thick!
The stranger shifted it's massive sword up once again and unleashed disk of white hot energy. Link leaped to his left and raised his shield as the blast plowed into where he had stood. Rocks flew and bounced off the hero's steel shield, blocking him from any major damage. That was the only thing Link could do whenever the armored stranger shot one of it's disk attacks (which was annoying!!).
Looking over the shield, the hero discovered a new crater in the ground to go with many other craters dotting the ruined complex. With no other option, Link resolved to press on... ... Suddenly a figure magically appeared between the stranger and Link...it was Rinkar!!!!!!!
"Pontoppidan...you had enough fun. We're going." The wizard proclaimed to the great armored monster, not showing any fear of patronize the beast.
"You self-centered bastard!!" The voice within the armored bellowed in frey, "You can not order me around!! I am a GOD in this world!!!!"
"OBEY!!" The cloaked man command and flicked his wrist. Almost immediately the voice and the stranger shrieked out in searing pain and fell to it's knees. A slight smirk line Rinkar's face at his actions, then erupted back to a frown, "I have already had one disciple leave me today...don't make it two... ..."
A roar scream alerted the wizard to behind him where he found Link charging forth. With another flick, Rinkar sent a wave of warping space at the hero and knocked him back.
"Link, my boy!! How nice to you!" The man joyfully cried, "I hope you enjoyed playing with my little friend here. But, now, I'm afraid that it's getting late in the day...so we must go."
"Rinkar!! I'm going to stop you and your damn monster!!" The hero snarled in response as got back onto his feet.
"My...my...such harass words about your own flesh and blood..." Link gave a perplexed look at Rinkar's words. His flesh and blood? The wizard enlighten him, "Oh, yes! That right...you haven't played that video game in the series yet, have you..." (The four wall can suck my balls) "This friend of my just happens to be a little green someone you've met not to long ago... ..." Little...green...? The hero thought to himself. A moment later he gasped as he realized who it was... ...
"LINK?!!! WHAT?!!!!"
"Keh keh keh keh!! Sorry to fight and run...but..." The cloaked man didn't finish. He and the stranger...Link of the forest...disappeared into the ether.
The hero sanked down to the earth, mouth agape. What have the Gods let happen... ...
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"... ...Okiru...my brother... ..."
"IAGO!!!"
The young shaman rocket up and tore up his eyes. Surge of pain jumped from his chest and ran to his head, the groaned in reply and lend into the ache. Through the surge, Okiru felt a light touch easy down onto his shoulder and he looked back... ...
"Meeko-chan..." The maiden gently pulled the boy back down, resting his head on her lap.
Okiru cheeks burned a shade of red as Meeko push lock of hair out of the shaman's eyes. She looked down at him with soft blue eyes took up his damaged left hand into her own. A light sigh escaped her lips as a warm light encircled the two's hands. The warm...it was good...and there was other word for it. Happiness seemed too light-hearted and Pleasure was too sacrilegious...it was...Good.
The boy eventually move his sight from the girl and looked around. They were still in the graveyard that lay next to the shrine complex. A yard or so away sat the old man with small wrappings of bandages around his hands, and next to him kneed Rin who was continued to wrap one of the elder's hands. Further off stood Link with Ryuga and Naru, talking some matter over. A moment past before the hero notice Okiru's awaken state and he then walk over to him.
"Okiru...how are a feeling?" Link posed in a soft voice.
"What happen to the old man?"
"Nothing good... ..."
The young shaman frowned at Link simply answer, but didn't really matter. Iago was gone...nothing matter. Okiru turned back to the blonde maiden and closed his eyes, sinking into what he know was good.
"Okiru... ..." Meeko whipser gently as she stroke the boy's dark hair. Then... "... O-KI-RU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The girl was bubbling with rage as her whole face became bright red. The hero blinked in confusion. Looking closer, Link found the young shaman's hand stroking his own keep-stone...Meeko's butt (... ...). The maiden jumped back to her feet, knock Okiru off of her, and sent the boy a killer Death-glare.
"M-M-Meeko-chan!! Please!!!" Okiru squealed as he inched backward, "I'm injured!!"
The blonde maiden heaved a large grave marker above her head and slammed it down, right into the young shaman's face (grave markers are made of stone, people!!). Meeko grinned her teeth together and huffed away. Everyone looked to her in amazement and shock and that's-a-little-much-ness, but with another Death-glare they were turned away. Link rubbed back of his neck and turned back to Okiru, his face and head pressed into the ground... ...
"Sigh...I'll get more bandages..."
Author's Note: Ouch!! My fingers!!! 7,000 words...over 7,000 words... ... Yeah, ouch!
An extremely somber chapter, with a touch of humor. I hope the next chapter's funnier...and short...ouch...
