Disclaimer: GrimGrave does not own any of the characters featured; they belong to their respective franchises of Nintendo, Namco Bandai and Arc System Works. GrimGrave does not make money for writing fiction.

I do apologize for being so late with this update. Do forgive me...

To Hunt Down a Hylian

Chapter 2

Hero-Hunters

A few birds chirped in the distance; the only source of a sound that was faint at best, as the veil of silence fell.

Once vibrantly green grass was now painted red. Numbness began to ripple through the once stoic body, allowing only a slow anguish to linger. Blackened spots tainted his vision, crimson pain gushing out endlessly from his side where he laid, a chill washing over him despite the warmth of the sun shining down on him.

The Shadow of Death was above him. Link could feel it – for the first time since the dangers of his childhood could he truly feel that he would not make it.

Not unless he tried to move, despite the agonizing pain and reach for his inventory.

Just a few feet away, Noel watched the evil knight struggle in his moment of passing. Her gaze softened as she left her guns in their holsters, sighing.

She turned around. ´Quick and easy… With this done, I will be able to get back home again… I do not enjoy taking the life of another but this had to be done…´

She heard the man behind her groan along with the sound of shuffling. Was he still struggling to get up? Noel sighed.

´I should at least put him out of his misery, despite that he is an evil-doer… I'm not heartle-´

Her eyes flared up into icy slits, her hands immediately grabbing her guns out of their holsters as she watched her enemy stand up – there was no blood gushing out of his side and no fatigue resided in his eyes. There wasn't even a wound! He was simply standing there, calmly breathing as if nothing had happened with an empty bottle in his hand, and a light pink glow vanishing overhead.

He was alive!

"Impossible…" She murmured to herself, her guns clicking as a response to the removal of the safety trigger. She glared at the man as she scrutinized him in an attempt to comprehend the situation. Was this the power that the evil knight commanded, to be able to regenerate even from the most grievous of wounds?

Whatever power that had aided him apparently had him fit enough for combat; the second he reached for his sword, the gunshots echoed across the field once again and followed by the loud denting sounds of a sturdy shield taking the hits this time.

Link crouched behind his hylian shield, feeling himself getting pushed back with staggering force as each projectile hit right on. The shield would hold – but with the attacker's rapid attacks there was no pause for Link to charge forward.

His arm was beginning to ache from keeping his shield up. It was just one impact after another, with no momentum for counterattack, leaving the Hero defending himself.

And as far as he was concerned, he didn't have any more fairies.

´It's starting to look grim here…´ He thought bitterly, trying to endure the pain that only intensified with each blast he took head-on. Past enemies who preferred to attack from afar was not new to Link but they usually took their time with their attacks – if only he could get some ranged weaponry out-

Then the idea hit him. It was risky, but it could help even out the battle, if not tip it to his favour.

Desperate he held out for a little longer despite his right arm hurting all over with soreness and his side still aching; starting with an old trick, he tossed a deku nut in front of him and hoped for the best.

When the silence fell and the constant impacts stopped, Link made a move to the nearby wall that stood in the middle of the field, daring not to dash towards his attacker; she was too far away. Instead, Link immediately fished out the necessary items that he could use whilst letting his right arm rest for as long as his attacker was stunned-

Link's ears nearly twitched as the split-second of a piercingly loud explosion tore away the firm stone wall to his left; chunks of stone shattered and scattered across the downhill field, dust whirling up with the wind. The Hero was speechless, his heart skipping a beat as a spike of fear, for the second time today, jolted through him.

Just who was his attacker?!

"Type XI: Optic Barrel…" Were the words that came out just above a whisper from beyond the wall. Link snapped back to reality and dug out the last ranged item of his arsenal.

"Goddesses above… Farore, help me see through this…" Link said to himself as he grabbed the nearest item.

:::::::

Lili stirred back and forth consciousness, her eyes slowly regaining vision; was she inside? She had to be, but she couldn't remembering being indoors when she-

…What had she been doing prior to this… sleep? Her head hurt when she tried to think about it, and nothing around her seemed to help ease her memory either.

She muttered lowly as she caressed her head. She had definitely been outdoors prior to this – unless it was all a dream-

"Oh, you're awake!" The blonde immediately turned to the source of the voice; a young, redheaded woman stood by the stairs a few feet away from the bed. "H-How are you feeling?"

"…" Lili scrutinized the woman verily. Her clothes seemed so outlandish, if not outdated. No one in Monaco dressed like that and-

It suddenly came back to her now. "…Where am I?"

"Why, you're in Kakariko Village sweetheart." The redhead said with a smile. Lili waved it off with a growing agitation in her eyes.

"I meant, where am I? As in, where is this village exactly?"

The redhead looked at her as if she had suddenly grown a pair of wings. "You… You're in Hyrule dear. I know you were out cold, but I didn't expect that you would be this confused…"

That's right. This wasn't a dream, nor was the blurry images in her head. She had been brought here to this alien world like right out of a fairy-tale to do battle with some weird, green-garbed-

-… That green-garbed man! He had thrown something at her feet and then… her memory halted there. He had knocked her out, not by the rules of a proper battle but via a cheap trick!

She had not only lost, but she had lost due to a cheap trick?!

Lili saw red. This was just humiliating on so many levels. A humiliation that needed to be brought to justice – forget about killing and get home, when Lili was through with him she would have him admit his defeat several times before she finally let him bite the dust.

Lili. Does. Not. Lose. Plain and simple.

She entered her tunnel-vision as she stormed out of the building, ignoring the pleas of her supposed caretaker. He was out there, she knew it. She had managed to find him once.

She could do so again.

::::::

Link cursed silently as he rolled to the side, seeking what little shelter that remained; the whole wall, that had once stood proud and idle in Hyrule Field had been reduced to rubble, its stones now scattered across the hill in disfigured, smoky pieces.

He had been lucky to have managed to dodge those abnormal blasts of his attacker, but with his main means of defence gone, there was little time for respite. Craters in the ground marked where he could've made his final stand, had he not been prepared this time and thrown himself out of the way at the last second.

He inspected his weaponry; the bombchus had proved to be an unwise decision; the marksman had simply shot them before they got close. The bow and arrows would be perfect, was it not for the few seconds required to aim which left him exposed.

This left Link with two options; Longshot or Boomerang.

And neither of them would be effective. At least not on their own.

The Longshot wouldn't do him any good, but the boomerang…

´It's growing to be an old trick…´ Link lamented as he picked up another deku nut, the boomerang already in hand. He hadn't used this practically since he was a child, but the good ol' swinging arm should still have it flying where he wanted.

He heard footsteps above him on the hill; the attacker was close! Link stepped out of his hiding place, wincing as he threw the boomerang with enough accuracy to send it flying right past the attacker – just enough to have him focus his attention on the object instead of looking ahead.

The deku nut flashed brightly upon impact, leaving the attacker staggering on his legs in a hazy wobble from side to side when Link charged forward. His fingers tightened their grip around his shield and sword hilt, his mind quickly debating whether or not he would go for the kill, or knock his attacker out cold. Unlike the monsters, these enemies were human (or at least similar); he couldn't just slaughter them in cold blood.

But the level of animosity his two attackers had shown was almost equal to that of his enemies he had encountered since childhood, and they were definitely out for his life – but why? That's what he kept wondering.

Why were there people after him? He needed answers! He had subdued his first attacker, but in worst case scenario…

No. He wouldn't kill him off. Deciding against better judgement Link arched his shield back, ready to knock the attacker unconscious with a mighty bash when he suddenly –

"Gotcha!"

-felt a weight upon him and tackled him out of the way. He fell to the ground with a loud ´thud!´, the air within him getting nearly entirely knocked out and sent him rolling down the hill like a log – together with this new attacker! It was a bumpy ride to say the least, leaving Link riddled with grassy dirt stains and a struggle for breath as he attempted to get back up.

´What in the world was that?!´ His breathing remained irregular and his body ached even more as he tried to stand. His eyes narrowed. Before him stood a ruffled but rather…

…Was it even possible to think that your enemy was, dared he think, cute? She almost looked so innocent with her green eyes and the odd garbs – were it not that she was eyeing him with a playful mirth, twirling dual daggers skilfully as she did. "Looks like you were giving my acquaintance a bit of trouble. Mind if I join in, evil-doer?"

Evil-doer? Him? Link shot back his befuddlement as he straightened himself up, though his respite was short-termed. Finding himself on the defence once more, Link hid behind his already dented shield as the girl slashed wildly with her daggers.

The familiar clicking sound caught his attention; shoving his shield forward and slashing his sword to drive the blonde back, Link then quickly aimed his shield to the left.

A projectile hit him head-on, knocking him flat on his back despite the hylian shield covering him.

He coughed. ´This looks bad… Who are these people? The… guy (?) up on the hill won't let me get close and now…´ He glanced at the dagger-wielding blonde. She had poised a battle-stance already, her blades glinting in the sunlight as she twirled them around her fingers. The boy on the hill took aim.

´And now he has someone helping him…´ He lamented, but then it hit him – way back, at the end of his journey, he had acquired a power that he could use. Back when he was met by waves of enemies as he ascended Ganon's tower, he had picked up a secret artefact that was his last hope right now. Despite the pain that now coursed all over his body, Link struggled back up.

He saw the blonde beginning to dash over to him from the corner of his eye, as his hands dug into his hammer-spaced inventory. His blonde adversary was right at him, daggers ready to cut him down –

He grinned lightly.

- when a light-blue glow enveloped him, burning brightly like the stars above and engulfed him in a transparent blue crystal. The daggers' impact was deflected as they bounced back, causing the blonde girl to stagger backwards. She just stared at him, dumbfounded and confused as she eyed him over.

"H-Hey! What's this a-about?!"

Link couldn't help but to laugh a little. "Goddess Nayru… I thank you for your Love…"

"What are you mumbling about?" Said the boy atop the hill with his guns aimed directly at Link. With a light click, another projectile was flying with flawless accuracy and hit him supposedly between his eyes; was it not that the blue crystal rendered him unharmed.

Projectile after projectile was fired, with the boy walking down the hill as he kept firing to no avail. Link purposely took the hits, laughing lightly as the attacks he had dreaded were now nothing more than gentle pushes.

He eyed the two, grinning as he poised his sword, watching it starting to glow, then brighter and brighter until it brimmed with energy whilst he paid little attention to the attackers attack him without pause or success. With the last of his sword radiating with built up energy, Link angled his blade so it wouldn't cut, but to send only the pent-up force in his spin-attack; with a mighty cry, he suddenly saw the world spinning around him.

The clatter of metal and the howling wind was the only thing he heard for the brief seconds of his spinning attack, but the results were more than satisfying. His adversaries were flat on their backs on the ground, their weapons scattered and away from them.

As the last of Nayru's Love flickered before it completely vanished, Link stepped over to the beaten attackers with sword in hand. They were bruised, but they were apprehended.

He found it hard to believe that these two, who stared back at him with disarray and dread, were such formidable warriors. Especially the boy; his eyes had been so cold, there was no trace of emotions to be found on his face when they had battled, yet now those eyes were nearly ready to burst with tears.

He couldn't make heads or tails of this. "Who are you people?" He finally said sternly. "Why are you after me?"

The duo just stared blankly back at him, and it began to agitate the Hero. He wanted answers, and after this whole, painstaking ordeal he felt that he deserved to know.

Worst case scenario, he might be forced to end them – just like any other monster that he had encountered. Why didn't they answer him? He had won – they were defeated and defenceless.

Just what was going on in their heads right now?

::::

´Whoa… He's…dreamy…´

Rikku was lost in the sharp, azure eyes of this evil knight – like she was drawn to his gaze as a moth was to the flame.

She just stared right back into his eyes, slowly noticing his features – his rather distinctive, intriguing features… Handsome some may call it even.

… In fact, this evil knight was hands-down attractive!

She was at a loss for words – his gaze intimidated her in a swooning way that it was almost bizarre! But Rikku couldn't help but to just stare back into his dreamy eyes as she was captivated by how this supposedly evil man could be so handsome.

"Hey!" His angered tone snapped the thief back out of her reverie, and the dread kicked back in as the knight towered over them. "Answer my questions!"

Her spine shivered at the animosity that coated his voice.

"I…uh…we… that is…" Wasn't the roles supposed to be reversed? They couldn't very well just tell him flat out that they were "hired assassins" to kill him – the situation looked grim already! ´Uh… Maybe we shouldn't have separated from the others…´

And from the looks of it, Noel wasn't fairing any better; the boy was actually on the verge of crying. Unfortunately, it brought the evil knight's attention.

"What are you crying about? You seemed rather calm, if not emotionless, earlier." He said with a condescending tone. "I'm not going to kill you, if you answer me. But can you at least be a man and accept your defeat?"

"…."

"Will either of you answer me already?" Link said, harsher. His body was still aching something fierce from earlier, and he was starting to feel the fatigue creeping up on him – he was frustrated, and the duo's refusal to provide with answers was getting to him. He'd never raise his voice against people like this – but in his resentment it was difficult not to let it slip through.

"…."

"H-hey, Noel!" Rikku "whispered" a bit too loudly. "What's the matter…?"

"….."

The knight before them sighed audibly, loud enough for Rikku at least to turn facing him. "Why. Were. You. Trying. To. Kill me?" He said through gritting teeth. "I've had it-"

"As if we would tell you. Don't you already know?"

Link turned towards the boy, taken aback by the sudden harshness that coated his light voice. The boy's green eyes glared right back at him, smouldering with antipathy and - … was he pouting?!

Flabbergasted, Link felt himself becoming lost for words. What was it with this boy? "I…No, I don't… I don't really-"

"Found you!"

Something suddenly blurred at the corner of his eye – a blur of white and honey-yellow - Link barely caught sight of it until it was too late, and sent him hurling down the hill, his already aching body getting pummelled on his bumpy way downhill. He looked back up, bruised and sore all over, throbbing with an additional mixture of fatigue and pain.

"You again…" He said breathlessly. The girl's brilliant, golden hair waved gently with the wind as she looked (literally) down at him, a small grin visible amongst her otherwise crossed features.

"M-Miss Rochefort!"

The girl reacted to that as she faced the duo. "You two had weapons, yet you couldn't handle him? … Pathetic."

"W-we almost had him you know!" Rikku shouted back. "But he suddenly just glowed blue and we couldn't attack him!"

"…" The blonde, "Miss Rochefort", eyed the duo puzzlingly. "…Looks like you two could use a respite any way. I'll handle this myself, thank you."

The other two merely settled with glaring at her as "Miss Rochefort" turned her attention back towards Link with a smug expression as she walked over towards him.

Link winced. A sharp pain lingered on his side, the same one that had previously nearly been his death earlier – the situation had once again taken a turn for the worst. Three of them against him were too much for him to handle, at least in his current state. And with no bottled fairies or potions to aid him he couldn't even keep fighting.

He almost chuckled at the clueless expressions his attackers sported when he sheathed his arsenal, rendering him unarmed – they were undoubtedly thinking that he had given up. If only they knew…

´In this time of fight or flight, I guess I have to choose the latter…´ Link thought grimly as he brought his ocarina to his lips and the blonde girl immediately covered her ears much to Link's further amusement. With his albeit coarse breathing, the soft, melodic tunes emitted with such a calmness.

The melody was short, but it was nonetheless pleasant to the ears. It was almost soothing, like a lullaby and just as one would gently rock a baby from side to side, so did the sudden light engulf him and carrying him away within the blink of an eye.

Next thing he knew, there was a change in the wind's scent. It was wild, vibrant; it was various fragrances mixing together into one, one that Link was very familiar with.

As he smiled and allowed himself to take those last few steps onto soft grass, he fell to his back with a content sigh, the tall trees around him greeting his view.

:::::::

Gloomy eyes of ocean-blue colour stared dreamily out of the window, taking in the scenery of the market town below, with the field stretching on seemingly endlessly beyond its walls.

A silent sigh emitted through the supple, flawless lips. Gentle fingers absentmindedly tucked away loose strands of hair neatly behind slightly pointed ears as the person was lost in her reverie.

The princess felt her heart beat faster the more her thoughts returned to her blonde Hero; be it childhood memories of a young boy who had emerged from the forest, or the handsome young man who put himself on the line of danger for her – for Hyrule's sake. Her Hero, her champion… Her saviour. There weren't words that could describe him, nor were there words that would be enough for Zelda to thank him.

And there was no words that could help her put a finger on what he – Link, the Hero of Time – meant to her. Zelda sighed yet again, this time contently as she remembered his words; saving the best for last. That had to mean something more. She was sure of it. They are connected after all, as the Goddesses above had foretold. It was Destiny – It was Love.

For long had Zelda dwelled on the thought, and equally long had she attempted to let Link know – and find out if he felt the same. Though, how could he not with the way he would always kiss her knuckles, to the way he smiled at her, only her.

Zelda couldn't help but to smile a little herself. Link would come back, preferably soon; she would not delay any longer.

She and Link were destined to be together, after all. It was time that Wisdom and Courage came together.

Gah! Finally! It's done and uploaded!

To be continued...!