Legend Of Hearts:
Chapter Four:
Demons and Shadows.
Sora bolted awake, confused.
Looking around, he saw Vincent by a window, looking out as if expecting some sort of danger. He gasped when his eyes fell on Hero, the ancient hero's spirit seemed to be in immense pain as he lay on a nearby bed.
"H-Hero?" Sora's voice was weak, and he almost couldn't bring himself to talk at all, "Vincent, what's going on?"
Vincent walked over calmly, his face grave, "He and I are...conflicted."
"What do you mean, conflicted?"
Vincent sighed, pulling a chair close to the bed, and getting ready to explain.
"How do I put this," he murmured, a pained expression coming over him as he sat down, "We're in the past."
At that, Sora's eyes widened in shock.
"To be exact, this is when he first lived, when they still called him Hero of Time."
"But," Sora began, sitting up, "How did we get into the past?"
Vincent sighed, not looking forward to trying to explain it.
Over the next ten minutes or so, Vincent told Sora everything he had managed to gather about the Time Portal, that the three had fallen through. How it took a great amount of power, as well a the Sword of Time, the Master Sword. He also began to explain that, though only a few moments past from when Ganondorf created the Portal, since he opened the door, he probably had weeks, maybe more, before they entered.
"In fact," he continued, giving Sora a meaningful look, "Three weeks went by before you even joined us, you've been in bed for another week after that."
"But what about Hero?"
At that Vincent closed his eyes, breathing heavily as he tried to shove the pain from his mind.
"Yesterday, Hero's past self awoke from his 'Seven Year Sleep', and without the Triforce's power, he gave in to the pain."
"Just what is the Triforce?" Sora asked him confusedly.
Vincent chuckled at that, "I guess they didn't bother you with the boring explanation, but we still have time," even as he said that, Vincent got up and walked to the window.
"The Triforce is the power of Hyrules guardians, the Three Golden Goddesses.
"Din, Goddes of Power, Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, and Farore, Goddess of Courage."
"I see," Sora said, reflecting on what he just heard, "But, in the bar, Link showed us the Triforce Mark on his hand, it was glowing."
Vincent shook his head, "This is a little complicated, but you seem like a smart kid, so I'll try to explain."
Vincent then turned to Sora, eyes closed, trying to organise his thoughts.
"Hero, as you know him, is nothing more than a spirit, eternally unable to pass on due to his sins."
"Sins?" Sora asked, concerned.
Vincent nodded remorsefully, opening his grief-stricken eyes, "He was still young, but he had seen things even the most battle-hardened soldiers couldn't possibly imagine, and it changed him.
"He believed that the Hero of Time was still needed, so he did something that neither the Goddesses, nor his successors could forgive him for."
"You mean...?"
Vincent's eyes were suddenly filled with rage as he looked to Sora, "He forced his soul into others bodies, extending his own life, and damning himself for eternity."
"But why-?" Sora began before Vincent raised his hand for silence, now looking out the window.
"He's here."
"Who's here?"
Vincent turned his eyes again to Sora, this time they were filled with hope, "My brother."
Ganondorf, King of Evil, watched as a formless demon crawled towards him on his throne, only the Triforce could be distinguished from it, which was slowly destroying it even then, the dispicable beast.
Ganondorf smiled, standing from his throne, and pointing at the shadow with his right hand, causing the mindless beast to pause, one second later, the power of the Triforce's holy light was released upon it, disintegrating the beast in a matter of seconds, leaving only it's own Triforce.
Or should I say Triforces, Ganondorf thought to himself, as he felt the power of not one, but five Triforces of Power.
"Mothers, what do you think of this?"
"It seems as though you have been delivered a gift," said a voice from the darkness, moving out to reveal a small old green-skinned woman with a blue jewel on her forehead, "Isn't that right Kotake?"
Kotake, the looking the same as the other but with a red jewel on her forehead came from the shadows, "Yes, Koume, it seems so."
"Well then," Ganondorf said, grinning, "I say it's time to take it then."
"Come to me, Triforce, bond with my power, and help me conquer the world!"
"Now what are we to do?" asked a young man's voice.
In a dark corner of Hyrule, the shadows spoke to one another.
"We only feigned allegiance to that monster for it's power, perhaps if we don't return, he'll think we were destroyed by that power." returned an older voice.
"That might work, but we need a backup plan." another young man's cold voice broke in.
"I might just have that." said an oily voice, radiating waves of contempt and superiority.
"Who are you?" asked the first young man.
"More importantly, what are you?" asked the cold-voiced young man, "To intervene in this place of darkness is a bold move indeed."
"I am but a shadow, much like your friend, but I can help you gain the power you seek, for a price."
"And what would this price be?" asked the older.
"In exchange, you will bring me the one known as Keybearer."
Link, Hero of Time.
Does Rauru really want me to live up to such a grand title? As Link pondered this, he walked towards the ranch, it had been seven years after all, though for him it was just a few days. How can Saria think that Link, Mr. no-fairy, can become a great hero?
"I need your help."
Link spun around to the source of the voice, it sounded so similar. His eyes widened upon seeing a dark-dressed red-eyed twin of himself. Link tried to speak, but no sound came out.
"Please, brother, all Hyrule may depend on it."
"Who are you?" Link asked, his voice still a little shaky.
"My name in Vincent, but I fear your very life may be in danger if you don't come with me."
"Why would my life be in danger?" Link asked him suspiciously.
Vincent just looked at him, despair clear in his eyes, "In only a few hours you will die, unless you come with me and do exactly as I say."
"How do I know I can trust you?" Link asked somewhat angrily.
"Is it really worth the risk?"
At this Link paused, Vincent had a good point, If Link really was going to die, he couldn't take a chance.
"Then tell me what I have to do."
Meanwhile, in the shadows near Lon-Lon Ranch.
"I thought you said you wanted him alive?" the cold voiced shadow asked.
"He'll survive, all we need to do is scare him, don't underestimate the boy." replied the oily-voiced.
"Whatever you say, but don't you think Gomess is over-doing it a little?"
"You should be grateful I was even able to procure such a beast," the oil-voiced shadow said proudly, "You should know all about beasts."
"If you wish to remain alive, you will not bring up this subject again."
"Whatever you say," the oily vice mocked, cackling.
Link walked into the bedroom on the Lon-Lon ranch top floor, staring in shock at what he saw, another Link was lying on one of the beds, unconscious.
"What is this?" he asked Vincent, scared.
"He needs your help, help only you can give."
Link turned to Vincent, somewhat angry, "And what help do you want me to give him? Honestly, I'm getting pretty tired of seeing clones of me-"
Link was inturrupted as a black demon flew threw the wall, grabbing the unconscious Hero, and barreling through the other side.
"Dammit!" Vincent screamed, pointing at Sora, "Help me with this, Keybearer!"
Without a word, Sora drew the Keyblade, rushing after the demon, jumping threw the hole it made.
"Now then, Vincent began, only to see Link jumping through the hole as well, "Dammit, why can't you just stay still for five minutes!"
Vincent leaped out as well, only to be bombarded by dark magic spears from the demon, he phased through them easily, and looked to see Link and Sora battling the scythe-wielding demon, Hero trapped beneath it's shifting dark cloak.
"Gomess," Vincent whispered, rushing towards it, "Stand clear! Out of the way!"
The other two warriors did as he said, Vincent focusing energy to bring out a huge blade, the Great Fairy's Sword, as he struck the demon hard, it's dark energy dispersing as it dropped Hero.
"Sora get him out of here!"
The boy rushed over to Hero, admiring Vincent's blade as he ran, the dark man held the giant sword in only one hand, it's violet and crimson blade shone in the midday light, images of black roses were set into the blade's center, and it's power was felt all throughout the area.
Link stared, mesmerised by the swords power and beauty.
"Where did you aquire such a blade?"
"I can only hold it's form together for about an hour, I suggest we wrap this up before then."
"You didn't-" Link stopped as the sky grew darker, Gomess' body reforming in the empty corral.
"Let's go brother," Vincent said, rushing to Gomess, Link following behind closely.
"It seems you underestimated that one," The cold voice said, chuckling.
"Then maybe you should aid it with some of your own power," suggested the oily-voice.
"Why should I give a low-class demon some of my power?"
"Because if you don't, that blade's power will destroy Gomess easily."
"Then why don't you give it some power?"
"Because I read your thoughts, and I don't think I want you to take me for everything, which you would, traitor."
"You disgusting whelp!" The cold voice yelled, "How dare you even think about invading my mind!"
The oil-voice laughed, reveling in the other's contempt for it.
"Be quiet you...you thing!"
"I think you and Gomess are worth about the same you know."
"W-what?" the cold voice stammered.
"A traitor, and a fallen reaper, perhaps you should be one and the same."
"No! Don't you even-!" The cold voice screamed out in pain.
"You will die here, not that you'll be missed, foolish traitorous cur!"
"No! Damn you...D-" The cold voice disintegrated into wordless screams.
As Link and Vincent stepped into the empty corral, Gomess completed reforming, but they were both shocked when they saw it had become a huge black demon, a single small red eye at it's highest point, the rest of it's body was a solidified shadow, dozens of scyth-bearing arms streaching out from it's spherical body.
"Looks like something gave this thing an upgrade," Vincent stated simply.
"It appears as though a dark barrier has been erected to prevented us from escaping."
"I guess it really wants to die!"
Vincent ran towards Gomess, shoving two scythes aside with a swipe from his blade, and severing three arms. Link took out his ow and tried shooting the eye, only to have his arrow his a barrier and fall ten feet away from the demon.
"Use the Master Sword, fool!" screamed Vincent, blocking nearly half the scythes with a flurry of blows too fast to even be caught by the human eye, every arm he cut off was simply regrown seconds later.
Link drew his sword and rushed in, the Blade of Evil's Bane held high above his head as he charged the demon, suddenly feeling a new power surge through him as he began to move faster even than Vincent, running all around the beast and slicing off every arm, before leaping up and landing a blow on the red eye, sending Gomess careening back.
"Since when could you do that?" Vincent asked the breathless hero.
"I don't know, it just came to me."
Gomess suddenly screamed out in pain, it's body forming a terrible colossus, huge arms, each carrying a dark blade, stretched out, massive legs forming small craters where they stood, it's one eye grew larger, framed by an enormous head, the demon stared down at the two warriors, anger and hatred radiating from it's cold, dark form, as a cold laughter escaped it, echoing through it's new domain.
"This doesn't look good, Vincent," Link whispered to the man, who turned to him annoyed.
"Ya think?"
A/N:
Oh no!
Our heroes are up against...Super Gomess!
And who are those mysterious voices?
And how am I going to fill in those plot-holes you were seeing all throughout the chapter?
Find out next chapter!