A/n: Okay, yes this one is very short compared to the last chapter, and it probably took longer to write, because I had 7 exams, and I was certainly brain-dead after them. But I was able to write over Christmas, and that was the greatest joy for me (well, after opening presents and spending time with family). Any way, I hope you like this chapter, and Merry Christmas! Feel free to wish me Happy Chanukah or Merry Kwanza, whatever you wish, but I will wish you a very Merry Christmas for the sake of being politically incorrect. Lol, well I hope I didn't lose anyone over the long wait, here is the chapter!

Chapter 17: Early to Rise

It was 5 AM when the bruised and battered boy climbed back through the window. He no longer had any fangs or fur, but dried blood and blue bruises showed brightly on his skin. Link cringed at the sight as he slowly arose to consciousness.

"How are we going to explain that?" Damien awoke at the sound of Link's voice. He nodded his head up and shifted in his chair, pulling on his bindings.

"I can't believe you left me tied up over night." He whined as he cracked his neck. His gaze shifted over to Arian. "Whoa, what happened to you?"

"I saw… you." Arian sat on his bed and rubbed his temples. "Only it couldn't have been you, because you were here, and I knew that, and it didn't smell like you, but it looked like you."

"What?" Navi squeaked, another little voice groaned from inside Link's hat.

"TRYING to get some BEAUTY sleep HERE!" Tatl shouted as Navi flew to Link's head.

"Beauty whatever." She retorted.

"I heard that!"

"Okay, moving on." Link interjected. "What do you mean looked like me?"

"Last night, I hid out in the sewers, underneath Clocktown, and while I was there, I found the skull kid, and this guy who called himself 'General Gaft'."

"General… that's an army term." Link said, recalling his capture and the 'Night's Army'. "Was he tall, dark, menacing?"

"Very." Link looked to Damien.

"That sounds like him." The guard said from his chair. Arian grew a puzzled expression on his face.

"Well that's not all." He continued. "I overheard them talking about… um… destroying the… err…" Arian scratched his head as he tried to recall the nights events. "Key-barrier… no-- bearer!"

"Key bearer?" Damien's jaw dropped. "Then he must be here already."

"Who?" Navi squeaked.

"Has no one ever told you this legend?"

"No sorry. All we have is some absent-minded old man who only tells us part of the story." Damien rolled his eyes.

"'He' was released when the sword was taken, the sword is the key."

"Yes, we knew that, but who is this 'he' we are dealing with?"

"He is the dark one, all evil is spawned from him. He has no name, but I assume he has given himself one by now."

"I heard the name 'Vereor'." Arian said as he began to wash off the blood in the room's sink. Damien wrinkled his brow in bewilderment.

"But that means 'fear' in the ancient language, and that is what 'He' created."

"Well what is 'He' capable of?" Link asked.

"Anything."

"If it's anything like that General, we're in for big trouble. If Naomi hadn't come to…" Arian stopped himself. "Naomi… she saw me!"

"Did she recognize you?"

"I don't think so, it was dark. The only light was a candle on the other side of the sewers. And I doubt she has night vision like me."

"Yeah, but she might recognize some of those bashes in your head. Was she there for the fighting?" Damien asked, continuing his helpful inquiries.

"A little of it." Arian looked in the mirror at the bruises that speckled his face. "And I wouldn't know how to explain these things anyway."

"I told her that you went to the bar last night. Just say that it was a bar fight." Damien suggested. Link shrugged.

"Just don't ask me." His eyes widened. Arian sighed, calling Link's attention back to the real situation. "So was that all that happened? Did you hear anything else?"

"Just that he's also thinking of killing anyone who gets in his way." Arian said sullenly. All present thought of the girls lying asleep in a different room. "He's after you Link. You must be the key-bearer."

"Yes." The guard sighed. "If you say you saw a man of Link's appearance, then I don't doubt you." Link and Arian stared at him awaiting an explanation. Damien continued. "That's part of the binding spell, he takes the form of whatever was last in the mirrors when the sword was pulled. Luckily, that form also keeps him weak, or, weak-er rather."

"And he also has outside help, I saw two other men with him…" Arian struggled to continue as he sat down next to Link. "I knew one of them."

"Really? Who was it?" Navi asked naively.

"It was Aura's father." Link's eyes widened.

"You knew Aur-- MMPH!" Navi was muffled by Arian.

"Sh!" He hushed her. "You MUST keep this a secret. You don't understand…" Arian couldn't finish. Damien stared at him expressionlessly.

"Enlighten us then."

"I…" He started, stopping only to make sure no one else could be listening. He began again in a whisper. "Over the mountains, on the other side of Gerudo valley, where you found me." He whispered to Link.

"Yes, where people are getting into that manufacturing thing."

"Yes, the people who make things like bombs, arrows, potions; they are slaves." Arian explained. "On the other side of those mountains, there is a great slave trade. You see, when the king released his claim on that land on Ganondorf's request, mass chaos grew. Poverty struck us all, and wages for factories fell to basically nothing. Then, since there were no laws, it got to the point where you could basically own your workers. Then it spiraled, and now you either own slaves, or you are a slave."

"What are you?" Tatl asked, waking up to hear the story.

"My mother refused to own another person, so she and I became slaves… Under Aura's father's command."

"Now how did you get across the mountains?" Asked the guard. Arian rubbed his temples.

"Just tell us the whole story." Link interrupted.

"My mother died shortly after we were sold to him. She couldn't handle the workload I guess." He sighed. "I was ten at the time."

"Don't feel so bad, Link lost his mother when he was only one!" Navi tried to comfort him.

"Thanks for that Navi." Link replied sarcastically. The little fairy shook as Arian laughed.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Continue the story, so we can figure everything out." Damien rolled his eyes.

"Okay…" Arian sighed. "Well, about two weeks ago, after years of working for that horrible man, I came upon this beastly creature as I was on mining duty. I was alone at the time, because Jabono doesn't care if his slaves die, and I just happened to tick him off that day. Well, anyway, it attacked me, I have the scars to prove it, but it was the best thing that ever happened to me." Arian thought of Naomi. "And the worst."

"You became a beast." Damien finished.

"Yeah, how did you guess?" Arian asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Not only the fact that you are one, at night anyway, but also the fact that those beasts were the result of a blessing bestowed upon the Hyrulians of shadow, and I'm assuming that beast that attacked you, deemed you worthy of receiving such a blessing." Link and Arian glanced at each other.

"Then we have one of those four we need to seal it back, right in this room." Navi concluded. Damien smiled.

"I suppose we do. What dumb luck." Damien shook his head. "Well, continue telling your story, it seems you are almost finished."

"Yes. Well, I, with this new-found beast ability, tried to free my fellow slaves, and that obviously pissed off all of the slave owners. Unfortunately, Jabono's daughter had just finished training to be a bounty hunter," Link widened his eyes, Arian continued, "and she had the potential of being the best in the business, until she fell and hit her head chasing after me through the Gerudo valley. I-- thinking I was safe-- then rested and suddenly found myself surrounded by Gerudos." Arian laughed. "And that's when you came along, but that's about it." Link shook his head, connecting all of the awkward moments between Arian and Aura. "She was sent to kill me, with strict orders from her father, who is now working with the enemy. And this is why, we must be sure to keep Aura from remembering anything." Link bit his lip.

"Wow…" Tatl added. "This is certainly going to be difficult." There was a knocking at the door, startling them all.

"It's Anju!" Called the little red-head. "Wake up call, breakfast will be ready soon." She then moved on to the next room. Link looked to the guard.

"Well now that we know I am the key-bearer, and Arian is one of the four, can we trust you?" Damien shrugged.

"I'm only here to serve. I was just confused, you aren't wearing the royal crest." He said as Arian began untying him.

"Why? Is the key-bearer somehow related with the royal family of Hyrule?" Link asked with a laugh. Damein responded with a laugh of his own.

"I should say so, the Royal Family is the line of the key-bearers." Damien said as he rubbed his newly-freed hands. He patted the shocked Link on the shoulder and then headed downstairs for a good breakfast. As the door closed behind him the Hylian snapped out of his daze.

"Wait a minute!"

A/n: Did you like it? Lol, well, please R&R!