Chapter 14 – Initiation
Link stood on the ridge of the tree that he had made his home so many years ago. The spot became a makeshift deck and he, as he did many times before, used it as the perfect place to watch the amber sunset wash over Ordon in the distance.
The door behind him opened, followed by heavy footsteps. He glanced to his side to see Roy in much better shape despite the remaining bandages where Kneph had struck him.
"Feeling better?"
Roy raised his arms into the air for a stretch. "Much, after I got my hands on a Maxim Tomato."
Link didn't question it; he had no idea what a Maxim Tomato was, but apparently it was pretty powerful. Secrets of the Brotherhood he'd learn once he was in, hopefully. His mind wandered to the previous battle and how Roy fared. He hadn't admitted it yet, but he found Roy's fire blade attacks to be impressive and wondered about his own potential.
"You're an Elementalist?" he finally asked.
Roy looked surprised, and a little flattered. "Me? No, not officially."
"Really? You're so skilled with flame techniques."
"Well, you've got to learn the skill before you can master it, right?"
Link nodded, but Roy folded his arms, annoyed with a new hunch.
"Wait a minute, just how much did Lucario tell you about the elements?"
"Just that there were nine elements, when I thought there were six at the most, and that everyone has an element," Link said, feeling out of the loop. "We were sort of in a hurry."
Roy rolled his eyes. "Oh, it figures he'd have me do his dirty work. Alright, I'll tell you the basics.
"Reality and life as we know it is formed from the nine elements: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Nature, Thunder, Darkness, Light and Spirit. Everyone's soul is bonded to at least one of these elements upon creation. When you learn how to use your element and become a master with those abilities, you're a Geomancer."
"Wait, Geomancer?"
"Geomancer, Elementalist. Same thing." Roy shrugged. "Whichever title is preferred depends on where you are. See, my element is fire, so that would eventually make me a Pyromancer or a Fire Elementalist. Since your element is Nature, you'll become a Forestmancer, or Nature Elementalist."
Link tried to imagine people wielding the other elements, including those in the Brotherhood. Marth and Peach didn't display any overt elemental powers, so he could only guess what their elements were. In direct contrast, there was rarely a moment when Lucario wasn't tapping into his power.
"What's Lucario's element? I've heard him tossing 'Aura' around."
"Oh, his element is spirit. Aura is his style, a sort of subset of an element's potential you can carve out for yourself. It's like how I mostly incorporate flames into my swordplay, a style called Pyrokenjutsu. Anyone with a sword and the fire element can pull off Pyroken if they learn it. I'm not that familiar with the nature element, but you can practice a style or dabble in all sorts of aspects of your element's power as you see fit, if you want to."
Link sighed. "Spirit seems like a really powerful element."
"Well, people with the spirit element are really rare. Rarer than duos like Ike."
"Ike...?"
"Oh yeah, you didn't meet him yet. He's part of the Brotherhood too. Duomancers or Fusion Elementalists have two elements bonded to their souls. Ike's got fire and earth." Roy frowned. "He thinks he's so special, but he could easily be considered a freak of nature for that."
Roy's disapproving words surprised Link. Was Ike a bad guy, or was Roy jealous?
The redheaded swordsman saw Link's reaction and began to explain himself. "I've known Ike for a while; you'll see what I mean whenever you meet him. He's like a teacher's pet – a mini-Lucario in personality. Like we really needed two."
"Lucario doesn't seem that bad to me," Link admitted. "He might seem a little cold at first but he's got some good intentions."
"Yeah, yeah. His blunt nature and abrasive attitude can get annoying after a while, you know? To tell you the truth, you're a breath of fresh air."
"Really? I'm just a k.." Link was going to say 'kid,' briefly forgetting that he wasn't just Link Jensen anymore.
"The Brotherhood...we've been the Brotherhood for a long time. Lucario practices being an ass, Ike pretends to be Lucario, Marth tries his damndest to keep any high emotions subdued, and Peach is...Peach. It can make a guy lose his mind."
Roy suddenly grinned mischievously.
"But I've found ways to cope, like with Lucario. If you really want to get under his skin, call him Luc. He'd never admit it but it drives him crazy."
Link smiled at the absurdity. "Seems like a small thing to get upset over."
"You just have to watch him closely when it's said. You'll see. It's great. The best part is that Peach started using it after she heard me say it, thinking it was a legitimate nickname. Lucario won't tell her that he hates it because he doesn't want to offend her, so he just takes it."
Hearing little tales like that made Link feel like part of the team already. Hopefully, it wouldn't be much longer until he was officially part of the Brotherhood, and just thinking about how he got to this point was exasperating. Looking at Roy, he began to wonder how he also got pulled into the war with the demons and joined the Brotherhood.
"I don't want to pry too much but...why did you join the Brotherhood?"
Roy suddenly went rigid and turned his head away a bit. Link instantly regretted asking him, but Roy started to speak.
"You can say that I didn't have a choice. Or rather, I wouldn't allow myself to have a choice."
Link was silent, and Roy continued.
"Link, my world is a little different from yours. It's considered an 'outer world,' it's not part of a connected system like Centropolis and the seven worlds surrounding it. Mine is just a little further out there in The Void, pretty much by itself...I guess that made it a perfect target. The demons attacked and then Azazel took it all. Everyone and everything was consumed...except for me, Marth and Ike. Lucario saved us. He made it pretty clear what was happening and what we needed to do, so I guess you can say we were the founding members of the Brotherhood."
"...I had no idea, Roy."
"Yeah, never mistake my lax moods for apathy. As much as Lucario nags, I do know how serious the situation is, because I'm one of its victims."
Link wasn't sure what to say. There were no words he could use to make the situation better, and he felt a little guilty in how long it took him to come around to the Brotherhood when people had already lost everything to Azazel's conquest. Before the situation could get awkward, Lucario rounded the corner of the trail with Zelda at his side. Link was surprised to see the princess here, and pondered how she managed to wrestle away from the Royal Knights.
"Link!" Zelda called out. "Lucario has told me the news of Kneph's defeat and your acceptance of their Brotherhood."
He had no intention of keeping any of that a secret from her. He helped the princess when she reached the top of the ladder. Looking into her joyful face, he solemnly told her, "Kneph's beaten, but he's not dead."
"Still, as a team, you managed to drive the demon back. No one else in Hyrule has accomplished that. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the celebration, for I must return to the castle before nightfall."
"What celebration?"
Zelda looked just as confused as Link. "The Ordonians are having a feast in honor of your return and triumph over Kneph. You did not know?"
"That would be my fault," Roy said, bowing to the princess. "I'm elated to finally meet you, princess." He gently took her gloved hand and kissed it.
Link frowned without realizing it. He thought the gesture was a little excessive. "What's the big idea? Was this supposed to be a surprise party?"
"Nah, I just told everyone what happened when we got back. It was their idea to have the feast."
"You can chitchat later," Lucario uttered suddenly, clearly annoyed. "We have an initiation to complete." He walked past them and entered Link's home while Roy gave a despondent shrug.
The conversation between Marth and Peach abruptly ended once they saw everyone step inside. Link's house was never big, so just the six of them felt like a crowd. The royals were fixated on Zelda, not only because this was their first meeting, but because they were baffled by her presence. But if Lucario allowed it, it didn't need to be questioned.
"Princess Zelda, this is Prince Marth and Princess Peach. Further introductions will have to wait."
Link wasn't worried about the actual initiation, but no one had given him details on the event. "What am I supposed to do?"
"It's quite simple," Marth said. "You must accept the oath."
Link realized that he was surrounded by the Brotherhood, while Zelda stood against a wall in silence. Was this part of the ritual?
Lucario stepped forward to speak.
"As a member of the Brotherhood, you will protect the universe from Azazel and all that entails. From this point on, all of your blood, sweat and efforts will be to save the innocents from the potential fate Azazel has planned for them. With our team, you will form an unbreakable bond, beyond the comprehension of the soulless ones that inhabit The Void, and one trustworthy of your very life. Do you swear to this? Failure to commit one hundred percent will most likely result in the loss of everything precious in the world."
"Yes, I swear," Link replied with a nod. "Is...is this it?"
Lucario touched Link's upper arm lightly. A jolt of energy passed through Link, tingling his insides before moving to the back of his right hand. What started as a small itch erupted into a searing pain like flames against his skin. By the time he removed his glove, the pain was gone, and a distinct mark was left in its place: a circle with a thick vertical line crossing through a thin horizontal line, meeting off-center. Link was mesmerized by the simplistic but striking brand.
"Welcome to the Smash Brotherhood."
Yes, every member of the Brotherhood has the brand somewhere on their body, except for Lucario since he can't brand himself.
Now that Link is officially a part of the Brotherhood, there's nothing stopping them from acting as a team one hundred percent and taking down Azazel and his demons. But there are still things for Link to learn before that point.
Expect three (!) point of views next chapter: Hyrule, Centropolis, and...I wonder who the third could be!