An evil, chilling laughter rang out through the room as Risen mysteriously began to appear out of the shadows. Dark-purple, gassy smoke foamed out of their mouths as they hissed loudly at the heroes. Their ghostly, glowing, red eyes we're directly fixed on Marth, who fearfully looked around for a place to flee.
Link, who recognized the ominous laugh, growled, "Ghirahim!" He carefully glanced around for the silver-haired demon. "Show yourself!"
"You all thought that everything was over?" Ghirahim chuckled as he walked out of the shadows along with his Risen henchmen. "Did you all erased me from the story?"
"Risen!" Zelda gasped. "How did they...? But, there were guards patrolling the castle!"
"About that," Ghirahim slyly started. "I used my magic to hide them within the shadows. Yes, your guards searched for danger in every room, however they did not check every shadow."
"Damn you..." Ike cursed under his breath.
Ghirahim's ears captured Ike's foul words. "Watch your language, Ruler of Crimea." The silver demon turned to the Risen. "I want everyone in this room on the ground dead and the Prince in your hands, understand?"
The Risen moaned excitedly in response. They could not wait for the bloodshed. When Ghirahim gave the nod of approval, they instantly rushed towards their prey. Luckily, Link's and Zelda's responses were fast. While Zelda used a powerful, fiery spell on several Risen; setting them with flames, Link slashed two Risen that were about to lunge at Marth with his sword. Fox, Falco, and Samus began to fire projectiles at the undead warriors.
Four livid Risen cornered both Eliwood and Roy against a wall. While Roy panicking internally, Eliwood strangely kept his cool.
"Dad, we need to run!" Roy whispered, clutching his father's arm tightly.
Eliwood abruptly shook Roy's tight grip off. "Run away? Oh, no! We Pheraes don't run away!" he said with a smirk that seemed cocky for his age as he took something out of his bag.
Roy's blue eyes widened in curiosity, no fright, when Eliwood handed him a mysterious handle with a small button. Wondering what did it do, Roy pressed the button, and a glowing beam of blue flashed on.
"Whoa!" Roy exclaimed.
"You know how to use a beam sword, right?" Eliwood asked as he took out his own beam sword. His question was answered by Roy's nod. "Let's go!"
With that, the redheads began to fight the Risen.
"Link! Lead Marth and Ike away!" Zelda ordered as she casted a strong wind spell, blowing the Risen towards the walls.
"Yes, princess!" Link yelled back as he went towards Marth and Ike. The two bluenettes were trying to stay from the battlefield as far as possible. He stabbed a Risen in the chest on the way.
Although the medicine was gradually healing Marth, the weak bluenette still felt weary. He quickly grabbed ahold of Ike's shoulder, as he suddenly felt faint.
"Link! What can we do?" Ike asked, kicking a Risen away from him. "Both of us can't fight!"
"I'll lead you away from this battlefield!" Link answered, motioning to the two to follow him. The three hurried towards the front castle doors. However, when they opened a crack, they were greeted with a war ongoing with Hyrule's knights and the Risen. Link immediately slammed the door shut. "No! Not there!"
"What now?" Marth asked anxiously.
Link instantly thought of a second plan. "Follow me! I have another plan!"
Without wasting a single minute, the three teens dashed down a hallway leading away from the violent battle occurring in the entrance of the castle. Unfortunately for them, Ghirahim say them flee from the corner of his dark eyes. Evading every attack thrown at him, he snuck away from the battle without anyone noticing.
Link led Ike and Marth towards the weaponry room. Due to the abrupt sneak attack started by the Risen. The room was nearly empty. The only weapons that remained was Ike's golden, two-handed sword and Marth's slim, decorated sword. As they cautiously followed Link down the passageway of empty selves, Ike and Marth recovered their weapons.
"Why are we here?" Ike asked, a bit confused.
"There is a secret passageway hidden here." Link explained sternly. "It was used to lead helpless residents away from Castle Town in case a war occurred."
"Where does it lead?" Marth asked, slightly struggling to hold his sword.
"It leads to Lake Hylia." Link answered. "It's a good place to hide there, since there is a complicated maze of temples there."
Link stopped at a shelf. "It should be here." he said, as he pushed it aside using all of his strength, revealing a mysterious passageway. "There it is! Let's go!"
Ike and Marth warily peered into the dark passageway. All they could see were a few torches flickering and waving. They formed strange orange light, which resembled waving, mutated flowers.
"Are you sure it's safe?" Ike uneasily asked.
"Yes, it is!" Link answered. "Let's go! We can't wait!"
Nodding sternly in understanding, Ike and Marth quickly followed Link down the shadowy passageway. Just before they left, Link smartly moved the shelf back in its original position, hiding all evidence of the hidden passageway.
Unfortunately, a certain demon was hiding behind the other shelves, sneakily watching Link reveal their precious, secretive getaway.
"Ugh, it's so dark..." Ike said as he and Marth followed Link down the passageway. He grunted as he clumsily stumbled over a large rock protruding from the dirty ground.
Marth helped Ike up. "Are you ok?" he asked. He shook a bit from cold.
"Yeah." Ike answered, brushing some dust off his pants. "Link, how long is this tunnel?"
"I don't know." Link replied, turning around and shrugging his arms. "But, we need to keep going! Sooner or later, we will reach the end!"
"Got it." Ike said, his voice echoing into the dark reaches of the passageway.
All of a sudden, a chill of fright spiked up Marth's back. With a soft cry, he nervously and warily looked around for the source of danger. His fingers reached for the hilt of his sword as his heart pumped adrenaline through his system to preparing him to attack. Anxious cerulean orbs darted around the nearly-dark hallway for signs of trouble lurking in the darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to lunge.
"Marth? What's wrong?" Ike asked, noticing his friend's abrupt nervousness.
"I sense trouble..." Marth quickly replied, his voice shaking.
"I think it's your imagination." Ike commented in response.
"Everyone! We need to hurry!" Link called back to his friends.
"Yes, we understand!" Ike shouted back, before turning to follow Link. "Come on, Marth!"
"R-R-Right!" Marth uneasily said.
Following his friends, Marth felt a sense of danger slowly build and pile on his back like slabs of rocks. He tried to shake the slabs of worry off, yet they were firmly strapped onto his back with belts. Fear rushed through his body, making his heart thump violently and turning his skin completely white.
He could not ignore this terrible feeling. This was the same feeling that warmed him of any hidden dangers during his journeys. Heeding no attention to the sixth sense was an unwise idea.
"Guys, something or someone is following us!" Marth whispered out loud.
Both Ike and Link stopped in their path and gave the bluenette strange looks.
"Marth, we need to go." Link sighed in annoyance. "If we don't, the Risen might catch up with us!"
"This is serious." Marth tried to explain to his friends. "I think someone is really following us!"
"It's just your mind playing tricks on you!" Ike remarked, a bit tired of Marth's little "games". "Just ignore it."
"No!" Marth replied loudly, his voice echoing through the passageway. "I can't ignore it! Maybe if we just check behind our backs quickly..."
Swallowing the fear that swelled in his throat, Marth nervously turned around. Sudden, flying, magic projectiles that resembled glowing diamonds hurtled towards him like bullets.
"Look out!" Marth exclaimed as he was struck on the head unconscious.
Ike and Link immediately looked up, but it was too late. While the diamonds smashed into Ike's stomach and shoved him roughly onto the ground, Link was hit in the shins and thrown against the wall.
"Magic...projectiles?!" Ike shouted in confusion as he shakily got up. He noticed Marth on the ground, completely out cold and helpless. "Marth!" he cried as he hurried to his friend's side.
"You should have listened to him." A familiar, sickening, twisted voice said as the source of the dreadful voice stepped into view.
"Ghirahim!" Link yelled. He hastily pulled his sword out of his hilt and stood up however, a sharp pain slashed through his legs, causing him to collapse onto the ground with a loud thud. "A-Aagh!" he exclaimed, clutching his leg.
"Don't strain yourself, Hero." Ghirahim chuckled at the blond's distressful pain.
"You'll never get Marth!" Ike yelled, taking out his sword from its decorated sheath.
"Never?" Ghirahim asked as he began to tease Ike. "Don't you remember, Ike?"
"Remember what?!" Ike boldly replied, keeping an eye on the demon. His cobalt-blue eyes glared sharply into Ghirahim's black orbs.
"You wanted to summon Medeus and his Earth Dragons, right?" Ghirahim tricky started. "You don't remember? Oh, that is right! You wanted the return of Medeus in another life!"
"Another life?" Ike asked himself quietly, looking at Marth. "Wait..."
"Heed my call, Prince Ike."A low voice hissed into Ike's ears.
Ike gasped and panicky looked around for more danger. "Who is this?!" he asked loudly. He shouted in pain when a cryptic force struck his head. Ike clutched his head tightly and whimpered softly, not willing to show weakness in front of his enemy. Link could only watch and clutched his injured leg.
"Bring Marth to me."The voice ordered.
"Bring...Marth." Ike blankly said as he slowly began to fall into the sly effects of hypnosis. His blue eyes lost their lively twinkle and became as lifeless as death itself.
"Ike! Don't listen!" Link called, hoping to drive Ike away from the trap's bait.
With a slow nod, Ike carefully picked Marth up, threw him over his shoulder, and went to Ghirahim's side, who smiled wickedly. Everything was going according to plan for him, much to Link's shock and anguish.
"That's a good prince."The voice spoke, sounding disturbingly gentle.
Ghirahim finally turned to Link, who wobbly tried to stand up. The Hylian bit his lips as weight squeezed pain into his leg like toothpaste.
"And now to take care of the Hero." He hummed. A black, slim sword appeared in his hands as he went towards Link. Completely helpless due to his broken leg, Link could only point the sword at the demon as he slowly came closer. Still dazed from the enigmatic, hypnotizing spell, Ike watched the scene play out, unable to respond to his surroundings.
Ghirahim stopped, and was about to plunge the blade into Link's chest when suddenly—
ZIP!
A glowing, magical, blue arrow shot through the air and struck Ghirahim's blade, causing it to fly out of his hands. With a frustrated growl, Ghirahim looked at the source of the sudden projectile. He spotted Pit pointing his gold bow at him with a stern glare, preparing to fire another arrow.
"Drat!" Ghirahim yelled in frustration. He was so close to defeating Link! He gazed angrily at Pit, who did not flinch. "You blasted angel!"
As Ghirahim's attention turned to Pit, he did not notice Link shakily getting up. Trying his hardest to ignore the pain that blistered in his leg, with a war cry, Link lunged at Ghirahim and slashed his chest with his sword. Unlike everyday humans, which spilled blood whenever they were wounded, diamonds burst out of Ghirahim's chest and flickered like stars. It briefly lit the passageway for a few, mere seconds. With a wounded, pained gasped, Ghirahim kneeled down and clutched his aching chest.
At that moment, Marth stirred as he regained his consciousness. The first thing he noticed was Ike carrying him over his shoulder.
"Ugh... My head..." he groaned as he rubbed his forehead. "Ike? What happened?"
Marth's questioning voice snapped Ike out from his dazed, hypnotized state. With a "Hmmm?", he quickly noticed Ghirahim on his knees in pain.
"Ghirahim!" he exclaimed as he put Marth down. He caught Link withering in pain as he collapsed onto the ground. "Link!"
"Let's go!" Marth quickly said.
Ike nodded and the two bluenetes immediately went to Link. Careful not to strain his injured leg, the two cautiously helped the Hylian up and supported him.
"They're over here!" Zelda called to her knights as they rushed to the scene.
"Ghirahim's here!" Pit warned.
In a split second, Zelda and her loyal knights arrived at the scene, about to capture and interrogate Ghirahim. Knowing that he cannot fight against an entire army of knights, he knew that the wisest thing to do is to flee. Yet, he still had a message to deliver.
"You all think that you won?" he started, shakily getting up and ignoring his pain. "You are not even a hair close to victory!"
"I question you why." Zelda harshly replied. "Explain yourself!"
"Until we capture the Prince's Spirit, who is known as Marth, we will continue to torment you all." Ghirahim explained. "Unless, you go to war against us. If you are willing to, our battle shall take place in the legendary Dragon's Table."
"Where is it?" Zelda asked.
"Behind Mount Prism is a heavenly grassland." Ghirahim explained. "But don't let its peaceful, serene atmosphere fool you. At the other end of the grassland is the fabled Dragon's Table. Its appearance resembles an enormous temple. At the end, is the altar, which is where Medeus will consume the Prince's Spirit, if you lose the war. Do you accept?"
Zelda thought for a while. If she and her knights were to go to war against Demise, they might lose countless lives. Admittedly, due to the lack of war on the Surface, Hyrule's army is very small, only having about a thousand of men. Demise had countless numbers of Risen loyal to him.
But if she did not fight back, sooner or later, Marth would be captured eventually. All of her guards were not perfect. They each had their own flaws. Also, pressure would be set on Marth and his friends' shoulders. Zelda knew that she could not just sent them back to Hollow; they dearly wanted to stay here on the Surface with them.
"I accept." She said, confident in her decision. "When will the battle take place?"
"Tomorrow will be a fine day." Ghirahim answered, before he vanished into a flash of sparkling diamonds. His evil chuckle echoed in the passageway. Although this left an uneasy feeling in some of her knights' hearts, Zelda was unbothered by this.
"Return to the castle and prepare for war." Zelda ordered her knights, who obeyed and began their trip back to the castle. She then hurried to Link's aid. "Link, are you injured?"
Link nodded. "Ghirahim surprised with one of his attacks." he explained. "He followed us."
"Let's go back to the castle and have Lissa heal you, ok?" Ike said with a smile.
Link nodded with a blank facial expression.
"What's wrong, Link?" Pit innocently asked.
"Oh, nothing!" Link quickly answered, forcing a smile.
"We'll help you." Marth said.
"Thank you." Link thanked.
While Zelda led Link, Ike, and Marth back to the castle, Pit carefully watched their back, aware that Ghirahim might attempt another sneak attack. Link blankly looked down at the ground, a bit traumatized. A few moments ago, Ike nearly handed Marth over to Ghirahim. Ghirahim did not force him with death. It was simple and effortless! It was a spell that did the trick! Simple as that!
This was not a good thing. During the battle against Demise, Ike might fall into the hands of the dark spell and unconsciously capture and bring Marth to the altar for them, thus spelling eternal darkness for the world.
The only question that hung in Link's thoughts was: how could he prevent this? A shadow covered his azure eyes as Link thought of a possible, simple solution. He took notice of his sheathed sword that hung on the back and Ike, who warily helped him through the corridor.
Author's Notes: I'm still alive! I'm still alive! *kicks dead story*
Sorry for the late update! I was having a hard time finishing this chapter. So far, I think there is two or three more chapters left.
Also, I want announce that the first two pages of my webcomic is uploaded on my deviantart account! (Link is on my profile). However, I'm planning to finish some summer homework this week, so updates might be slow.
For the poll (Including a guest's vote), LinkXZelda has the most votes, EliwoodXNinian is the runner-up, and poor ChromXSumia has the least votes. Check out my poll if you hadn't!
Story Questions:
How is Link going to prevent Ike from being hypnotized by Ghirahim?
What do you think is going to happen in the next chapter?
Note: I don't own SSB!