Heeeeeeeeello I'm feeling great for another story today, let's get this cracking.
So before we start I'll do a little review responding.
To my first review ever: Thank you so very much ! Oh don't be surprise, I have taken what you have said into my mind. Now for your answer, let me ask you something first, would a story have an intrigue if it totally make sense at the beginning ? To me : no, thus why it doesn't make sense. If you want it to make sense then read through my story until the very end and be patient ^^ ( oh yes I'm an evil man, hu hu hu...)
The morning's weak rays of sun which marked the beginning of a new day slowly leaked in the room. The chilly air begins to enter when Gino opened broadly the windows, allowing him to contemplate the rising sun far away in the horizon. The first rays of sun rain upon the still sleeping forest as the mist began to fade away. Far away the mountain which Gino so admired imposed its presence at every creature who laid their eyes on it. There was a rumour that someone may live at the mountain's cloudy peak but no one never confirmed it since no one dare to climb the snowy giant.
These windows offer the same view of the outside like those in the guest's room (which was at his left-hand side) but they didn't show the same thing for example from where he watched, he could see the secret spot, it hid secrets which no one will understand.
But now he, in deep thoughts, simply couldn't bring himself to pay attention his surroundings, there was days when he used to live in the capital until that day...
Flash back
It was a fresh morning when no one in the house was awakened yet, I seized my chance of sneaking out due to a secret meeting that master Sephiran appointed me to. I couldn't refuse, not after the recent events at that time.
I put a cape on and ignore everyone else to avoid of being recognize. Arriving at my master's unmistakable mansion behind the sumptuous gate in front of my path, I easily climbed over it. Trees were aligned perfectly on each side of the way of any invited (in this case me too) guest to be welcomed at the end by the sight of the splendid manor. With a seven steps stone staircases to the main entrance at the centre of the white building combine with wise choice of variety of flowers which could be seen hanging near the windows, stretching themselves to receive the sun. The mansion was one of the most important places in the capital since its host was very well known in Begnion.
Usually I get at the back because a secret passage lied hidden within the walls, only his most trusted servants were allowed to take the passage and to keep the knowledge of the password. I put myself at the spot that I had known all too well before whispering " May the light be revealed to the loyal". As expected, the bricks began to move one by one to the side, a dark hall appeared, inviting whoever managed to open it. I took a deep breath as I slowly advanced through the darkness, the bricks moving back where it once was.
I closed my eyes and kept moving where my feet were taking me too. He told me to move 18 steps forward, I followed his instructions and every time I opened my eyes at the eighteenth step, I found myself inside his office. Don't ask me why, I did question my master about this but he loved his secrets. Anyway I took a quick glance around to find my master in his chair behind the desk, his attention attracted by the book in his hands. As always he seemed to notice me because he had greeted me at the exact moment I tried to call him.
"Well, well, you actually come, not that I'm surprise, you've had the habit to never be late after all"
He appeared as serene as ever, there wasn't one time that I didn't see him smiling calmly with a benevolence aura surrounding his presence. Sometimes people called him "The white shepherd" for his care to the people but as expected, others ( more like senators) objected to his power under the excuse of his origin, which until now remained unknown, despite his long positioning as chancellor since Empress Misaha's reign. However they made sure to not express their opinions in front of the whimsical empress in fear of their own heads. The empress was quite fond of him ever since he had watched over her even her birth, he was like a paternal figure to her and this was one of his advantages yet he didn't exploit it, never asked any greedy favour from her.
After a long moment, I noticed that I stared at him for too long, before answering him awkwardly.
"Ah...Uh...Yes, of course"
He gazed at me during another silence until he put his book at a corner.
" You are aware what will we talk about, I'm sure ?"
I flinched before gathering the courage to look at him.
"Y...Yes my lord"
I hated it! Especially when I'm nervous but what he was about next to say made me gape at him.
"Then you will be send in Gallia in a house, there you would be able to receive me in one of my trips. It can be, of course, a little hot there but surely you can handle it ?"
At that moment everything stopped, I couldn't look elsewhere but the floor with a big question resound in head. It came out literally of my mouth when I wondered out loud.
"That's it ?"
There was another silence yet again, but I couldn't look at his face although knowing him, he still retained his poker face.
"What do you mean ?" He asked in a fake surprise tone, however I was pretty sure he knew how I would react to the news.
"Surely you jest my lord, I deserve something more..." I couldn't finish when he interrupted me immediately.
"For now follow my orders, what I decide is your own action so please don't question it. Whether what you'll think of it or not, my decision still stand" He affirm in a calm and authoritative manner, pressing on the word "decide" consciously.
I recomposed myself before answering then take off.
"As you wish, my lord, have a good day"
Flashback end
As the memories fade away, Gino couldn't forgive himself of his past deeds. How could he be that stupid ? He cursed, preparing to slam down his fist before calming himself. However he may try he won't never be able to forget his past and erase his fault but now he must do what his master wished him to, he needed to take care of Link, the latter was simply too young to survive in the hostile environments except if master Sephiran decided to take him back, which will be unlikely for at least a year.
"His presence will somehow change something, I'm not sure what yet I can feel it" He idly stared a little longer before he washed his face, changed in his worker outfit and head out.
Panting heavily, his vision, as weak as a fire under tonight's rain, slowly showed himself on the dirt. He took a slow glance, darkness chased away all remaining light amidst stones and burned trees, witness of the destruction surrounding him leaving a macabre atmosphere in the air. Suddenly his sight was blocked by a gigantic mass like a mountain. As strange as it was, a pair of yellow jewels caught his attention, they were unnaturally beautiful, making you want to leaning yourself closer to it like a moth drawn to the flame. Lightning stroke out of the blue, its rumble quake the air ending his inspection, in fear he attempted to draw back in vain, not because of the terrifying sound it made, no, but what revealed the lightning in that instant told his entire body to run away.
A monster, a demon, a fairy tail beast, all those descriptions fitted perfectly to the abomination before him. A dual-wielding pig monster, a very-strong looking one with a grin on its face, the anger it bore twisted his expression to the point the bravest would stand down with shaking legs. Link's intuition made him want to run away, a thousand-fold stronger when a woman's body was found being toyed at its feet and discarded away by a kick. The golden swords gleamed dangerously, which had already taken a life by the looks of the blood on its edge and they were predicting their next kill.
"No, please no! I can't die like this, not before I know what's going on" The thought rushed in his mind when he still tried to move his legs, but it was no use, once the fear has gotten into him, with no help or hope to survive, he would be stuck forever in this nightmare. As if knowing that Link wouldn't run away, the beast's grin widened like he enjoyed the fallen hero's demise, the beast was human yet his black passion made him the worst human who has ever existed in this world, a scourge born from the minds of the ancients, a devil.
On that note, it lift its left sword upward preparing the finishing strike before bring it down with an incredible speed.
"YEARGHHHHHHHHH!". The scream slowly died down as the hero faded away in oblivion.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!" Link sprang up from his bed, looking everywhere in a desperate motion. He immediately calmed down when he saw where he was, the same bedroom where he woke up for the first time in this new world. Judging by the weak rays flickering though the window, it was still morning. He put his hands from his head to his chest to check for any injuries but there were none (except for the one in his rib), he convinced himself that it was a nightmare, there was no way a creature like that could exist in the world or maybe ? The young boy sat on the bed in silence, he was still sweating bullets until the door slammed open and guess who was it.
"Hey, are you alright ? What's going on ?" There stood Gino with a fray of food on one hand. The mess on the food plate showed that he almost dropped it in surprise.
Seeing him all flustered like that, Link couldn't help but to lower his head in embarrassment, you need to understand him, what is more humiliating to say that you scream because of a nightmare like a little kid (look who is talking), moreover a nightmare that you completely forget all about it.
"a nightmare..." he whispered so lowly that Gino had to ask again
"wait what ?"
"A...nightmare" Link forced those words out his mouth like they were burning his tongue.
For a several minutes, there was an incredibly awkward silence occurring between themselves. Link wouldn't stop looking down while Gino just stood there as if trying to process the information. It was continuing when the latter ultimately decided to drag a chair near Link's bed, also putting the food fray on the night table next to the bed. Link looked up at him when he sat down on the chair, to his surprise Gino didn't look at him in contempt but a rather understanding smile cross his face.
"I see, so will you mind if I ask about it ?"
Link was at a loss of words, but what to tell ? He couldn't tell anything because he didn't remember anything in the first place instead he just avoided Gino's gaze and looked at the mirror in front of him, which always reminded him of his weakness in his child form.
" You don't want to tell or you can't tell me about it ?"
And that was the last straw to break the camel's back. At those words Link just literally froze there like a lifeless statue then he began to clench his fist, his body was shaking a little at the idea of remembering. Why didn't he remember ? Was it because he couldn't really remember or he was too scared to remember ? All of a sudden he stopped shaking as a comforting hand was on his shoulder.
"Don't mind about it too much, if it was a nightmare then it is better to forget until you have enough strength to confront it" He turned away to put the food fray before Link.
"Now eat up and you can tell me about it later if you want, it's gonna get cold otherwise"
Link stared for a moment at the soup, it was red and there was grains floating time to time, he would love to say that the soup didn't look that appetizing. He looked a bit more before taking the spoon in the soup and slip it in his mouth while closing his eyes. There was another silence then suddenly, his eyes shot wide open and he literally took the plate and wolf down his meal in one clean swoop. He has also finished the remaining foods on the fray until he relaxed in a satisfying sigh, putting a hand on his now full belly.
Gino sighed in relief although he was a little shocked at how the boy ate his soup but he told himself to keep it for now. It wasn't the first time he saw the display of one's lack of proper table manners. This time, however, he wasn't the one to speak first.
"I'm...sorry but... I couldn't remember anything from my dream, at all"
The former was a little surprise at the boy's sudden will to talk, he couldn't let that chance run away.
"It's okay because after all, experience is the essence of wisdom"
Link's eyes perked up in astonishment.
"So...you have some kind of dream like that before ?"
Gino remained silent for a short moment then he answered the question.
"Well, yes, but I can't talk about it either for the same reason as you do."
Link lifted himself from the bed as he headed at the window, there he leaned against it before directing his gaze far away. It was probable that he was watching the famous mountain from afar. Sensing the Link's silent needs to be alone, Gino started to put the chair back to its place and prepared to leave, taking the fray of food with him. However Link called out to him when the former was at the door.
"Hey Gino, how long have you lived in this world ?"
The butler responded after a short pause.
"Ever since my birth, I guess, which means 25 years now"
"I have a request to ask you"
At this point, Gino started to wonder about the boy. He demonstrated a certain weakness that every children have, fear of being alone yet something was telling him that boy wasn't simply an ordinary child, he had a matured tone in his voice when he was serious or determined like right at that moment. He saw a flame rising in his eyes like a hidden passion unlike anything he had seen before except that time.
"Yes ?"
"I want you to teach me how to fight and live in this world"
Somehow he was expecting him to say that when he started to realise what was the yearning in his eyes. The passion of an adventurer symbolised the desires to see the world. The boy, after seeing a new world through the windows, had the sudden urge to discover like his master when he witnessed his departing for the first time. This explained the appropriate gear he had when they found him lying in the forest.
He couldn't stop to be excited, Link reminded him of himself when he first came into this world, maybe one of the regrets he had when he served master Sephiran was his inability to set out. Link, in some way, was maybe someone that can be considered as his opportunity to forgive himself by trying to encourage others to not commit the same fault.
Link's POV:
If he refuse, I can understand. After all, who'll do that to a complete stranger, maybe I was getting my hope up a little too soon.
" Hah, maybe I will, but if you want me to do that..."
Gino's smile transform abruptly in an obsessed grin.
"You'll have to learn to how to eat correctly at table, get it ?"
Ironically, I was happy to know he accept to tutor me but...
Gino was still smiling like a mad man trying to do whatever I try not imagine.
… It will be a long time if I want to get used to someone like him.
"Yup you get that right"
That voice made me jump in surprise, even Gino was startled with my sudden behaviour. Great, now I have to explain this to him too, good job Green Wolf.
"Hey you're welcome, mr. hero , It'll be a long ride with you but at least it's gonna be fun"
At the word "hero", I suddenly remember the last thing I need to do before the tutoring.
" Hey, Gino, can I ask you one last thing ?"
" Ha ha, I doubt it would be the "last" thing but what is it ?"
In the secret corner Gino showed me through the windows, I have finally found it. It was well hidden, the spot was clearly can be seen from up there yet here it was hiding between the tree's shadows, a big rock which surpassed easily 5 times my size was sleeping there, completely serene and in harmony with its environments. There were moss and different plants tighten their grip on it like guardians of a sacred place yet there was a clear spot at the base of the rock, where no inhabitants of the forest would dare to touch except for some people.
I tried to dig at the spot, after a few moments, my hands was blocked on something hard which revealed to be a clean box made in steel. When I tempted to open it, the box still close shut probably because it was locked.
It made sense since Gino did warn me about something like this.
Flashback
"There, do you see it ?"
He pointed to a spot which was well hidden between the trees yet a piece of a big rock stood out, where the spot was supposed to be, from an higher up view like this.
" That is where I hide it, my most mysterious secret whose key to its revelation belong only to me, that also was where the end gives birth to a new beginning."
The corner of his mouth went a little up when he said the next words.
" Go ! Hide it away ! If you wish to hide something that ought not to be revealed and started anew, go to the Stone of Promises"
Flashback end
As the last words of the wise butler was leaving their last like an echo in the wind, I slowly put a wooden box of my own on the ground before reaching for an object in my pouch and gently set it down inside.
It was a shining blue ocarina, with a finely crafted gold triforce symbol carved on the sacred instrument.
"Alright Mr. hero, it is time" Green suddenly started his telepathic talk again, really he needed to stop that.
"Nah no way !" He replied in a childish manner " It's fun to tease you once in a while"
He finished his talk then his serious tone was coming back.
"So did you decide ?"
I paused before delivering my final answer.
"Yes"
I closed the box then hid it away along with Gino's box. The hero of time is dead and he would be a failure if he didn't remember his own mistakes, that's why the proof of the hero will be hidden forever until his revival, on this spot, where his legend ended awaiting for his return. But now...
" It's time for a new beginning".
Hooray ! Finally I finish it, pfiou, sorry guys between school and stuff, I didn't know where to put my head anymore. Alright no more stories until later.
Chao