Hey guys!
Well here is where the classic hero persona REALLY begins to fade away. Read on to hear about it!
FOR ONCE I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY! Oh, except the thank you for my editor and friend. Rissy!
Two songs inspired this chapter. For the first part, I liked With My Own Two Hands - Ben Harper. Not so much the reggae, just the lyrics.
Now I can change the world
With my own two hands
Make it a better place
With my own two hands
Make it a kinder place
For the second song, I was inspired by Down with the Sickness – Disturbed. Heh. It's mostly symbolic for the feral side of Link that seems to be making itself more prominent. Also you may get the other reference I'm trying to make. But that is optional! NOTE! THIS SONG USES LOTS OF BAD WORDS! Listen at your own risk.
Drowning deep in my sea of loathing
Broken your servant I kneel
(Will you give it to me?)
It seems what's left of my human side
Is slowly changing in me
(Will you give it to me?)
Alright! Go read some more!
Blackness cloaked the hero's vision, veiling his senses with faint whispers of lost souls.
"Am I dead?" he asked, pondering the question with lazy thoughts. "This feeling is familiar… but I can't place it."
Link…
The boy's eyes snapped open, despite their blindness. "What was that?"
Brave Link…
"Thank the goddesses they didn't say heroic. I hate that."
We know.
Link paused. "They knew? How?"
We know because we know all. We have seen all, created all, influenced all.
"Oh no…"
Do not fear young man. You are not dead. Link's eyes were suddenly granted sight. He shielded his eyes, startled by the blinding colors he was now permitted to see. The hero was floating above a small grassy knoll, adorned with colorful flowers of blue, red and yellow. His feet touched down lightly onto the tall green grass. It swayed in an unforeseen wind, bowing to a woman who sat herself below a giant tree that bore a carving of the triforce. The whole place pulsated with life; the only thing not of nature were the two golden triangles that marked the triforce of wisdom and power. The third, the triforce of courage, was marked with swirling tree roots.
Link.
The woman stood, revealing gorgeous green eyes that hid behind her long blonde bangs. Cascading waves of golden hair spilled down her back like water, stopping at her hip. She smiled, her pale skin crinkling in the exact placed that it should. Her pearly white teeth shone in the sun captivating any that should look at her. She wore a green dress, flowing down to her ankles, secured with a belt made of what seemed to be roots. A crown of leaves adorned her forehead.
Link she said again. Bearer of the triforce of courage, come to me.
The hero obeyed, walking forward slowly, his legs stiff from disuse.
The woman placed her hand on his cheek. Her heart beat in the same time as his own. Follow me she said, turning on her heel to walk towards the tree in the center of the clearing. Link trailed after her, his eyes fixed intently on the ground. Whenever this strange woman took a step, flowers sprung out of the ground. Link looked back up again, trying meet the eyes of the woman.
Finally she turned, startling the hero at the sudden change in her stare. The once green color of her eyes had changed to a fierce blue green. Hero, allow me to introduce myself. I am Farore. She giggled, in his haste to bow, her eyes returning to their former shade of green. Do not honor me. Unlike my sisters, I do not care for the attention of you Hylians. You will find that I chose to be more… she tapped her chin thoughtfully. Humble, I suppose. I chose to breathe life into the world, rather than have life given to me in the form of sacrifice as my sisters have done. But look here.
The goddess of Courage pointed to the tangle of roots that formed her piece of the triforce. This is the source of my power. My body and soul. This tree is the first and last of its kind. I beseech you; place your hand on the piece of the Triforce that rightfully belongs to you.
Link took another tentative step towards the tree. He placed his gauntleted hands on the roots, feeling the breath of life from under the bark.
Then his goddess did something he had not foreseen. She pushed him into the tree, whispering words of a forgotten tongue into his ear.
Le aa' Hylian, le talyr iari si tandros os os eilaerys. She said, her power beginning to pulsate through Link's body. Ai kal o si Cyrdaedi os si eindraer. Tae os shylaer shi casaes sal maer, tae os eis baelaes sosi, tae os caes shi myl. Ai kal o si iari os tandros. Tae air maesi o shaer.
Farore stepped away from him, letting her chosen hero fall to his knees before the tree.
Vaeres sai os veirolar thys. Pai byr mae caesi. She said soothingly, pulling him back to lay in the warm grass she had created with her power. Thys air air si vaer os si Kyr, eil o cali ialoloraer sherolaer jhaes sai saji tasi os ail si shys o tar Bael.
XXX
Zelda looked on in worry. The arrow shot by her faithful soldier just barely missed his heart. But even she, one skilled in the arts of healing magic, could not help. Someone had cast a magical barrier around the hero that was chained to the wall. He had not awoken from his deep sleep for over a week. Though his wounds had stopped bleeding, the princess was concerned. A few days ago, he had started to glow with a brilliant green light. Though she could form no solid conclusions, Zelda guessed it meant that the Triforce of courage was leaving his body, signifying his death.
Suddenly she heard a deep shuddering breath. She looked up and saw Link starting to move. A smile spread across her face as she called in her guards and nurses. They stared in awe at the hero before the guard captain ushered everyone out. He sat, waiting for Link to fully awaken.
XXX
Link pulled his eyelids open, half expecting to see the warm color and grass of the place he had been before. But instead of the sunlight on his face, the hero looked around and saw he was in a prison cell, the same one he had been trapped in when he had first encountered Midna.
Link felt his heart twinge in the familiar pain that had appeared from her departure. His mind wandered through the memories of his friend that he held so dear. But there was another aching pain in his chest, one that was more physical. Link looked down, his eyes catching sight of an arrow shaft buried right above his heart.
"I remember now…"
A rusty laugh awoke Link from thoughtful brooding. The hero chanced to look up, hearing a small gasp come from the corner of the room, but he did not care. His eyes were focused on a shadowed figure that posed importantly in front of him. The man shot his hand through the steel bars that separated the cell from the hall way and grabbed the hero by his neck. The chains that bound Link to the wall allowed enough space to let him clutch the hand that held him so tightly. He tried to focus his feral instincts so he could claw the owner of the hand, but strength seemed to evaporate from his limbs.
"Struggle hero…" snarled the man, tightening his grip on the boy's neck. "Those chains binding you have a magic spell on them. The more you fight against it, the weaker you will become."
Link relaxed, earning himself a cocky laugh from the man. "That's right hero. You are in no position to refuse me."
"Neither are you" said a feminine voice. "Release him Thal. That is an order."
Thal snorted and dropped the boy to the ground. He turned away to storm out the door.
"Please excuse him" Zelda said, stepping out of the shadows. "He can get carried away."
Link couldn't hold back the terrifying growl that ripped from his throat. He felt satisfied at the fear that flashed across Zelda's face, even if it was only for a moment.
"Link, you aren't in any condition to do anything. If you hadn't noticed there's an arrow in your chest!"
"Shoulder" He snarled. "And I don't particularly want you near me Zelda."
The princess looked on the verge of tears. "Her own damn fault. She should know that I am more than enough to save the twilight realm from whatever it is they face."
"Link I-"
"I suggest you let me go now…" the hero said calmly, fixing her with his cold blue stare. "Before I do it myself in a more violent fashion."
Zelda looked as if she wished to obey, but just as quickly as the thought had crossed her mind; it was gone, along with the feelings of pity. "I have a duty to protect this land" she said, drawing herself up to her full height. "If we can keep the darkness in the twilight realm from crossing over to our world, then there is no need for you to put us in danger for your own selfish reasons."
"My reasons are selfish?" the hero taunted, pulling on his restraints experimentally. They creaked a little, but not enough to break. "I want to help the people trapped there who are dying!"
"What about Midna!"
"She needs my help as well!"
Now Zelda looked angrier than a mountain troll. "You insufferable fool!"
Link focused his mind; trying to use his beast strength to fill is arms. He could feel his feral side beginning to emerge.
I want to kill. Said a voice, startling the hero. Can I kill HER?
Princess Zelda? He asked. No. she has helped me. Cared for me. She deserves our pity now.
She deserves NOTHING! The other voice shouted, causing Link to flinch at its volume. What she deserves is a rainy funeral!
No… you are wrong.
No. YOU are wrong hero! She wants to control you! Tame you! Make you a toy that she entertains herself with! What is it you want?
Freedom he replied simply. I want to see the world. I want to find my dearest friend Midna.
And who is it that restricts your freedom?
…Zelda.
Who is it that tells you to forget your friend?
Zelda.
So what is the first thing you are going to do when I free you?
Elliminate Zelda.
The voice let out a raspy laugh. Seems that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
Who are you?
There was a pause, as if the other voice needed to think.
What?
Who are you? Link repeated, growing impatient.
Fool. The voice hissed, I am you. Your inner thoughts, your instincts. I am what keeps you alive when all hope is lost. Listen to me, and you will live.
Do not listen to him Link.
The boy stopped, opening his eyes to stare past the princess who still stood in front of his cell. Farore? He thought tentatively at the faint outline of his goddess that stood behind Zelda.
Do not listen to him. He seeks to possess you, to have a body of his own. Allow me to lend you my power. Do not rely on the Madyrn jheas for help. You can only extract small doses of his power. Too much, and he will be free.
Link nodded in understanding, relaxing his body to allow the goddess control over him. She slipped into his mind, her light banishing the other voice from his head. She filled his limbs with warmth, her power beginning to overwhelm the chains that restrained him.
I will take you away from here, to the place where a friend waits for you.
XXX
Zelda looked on, frightened by the scene that was unfolding before her. Link's eyes had turned blood red, just as they had when he transformed.
"I want to kill." He hissed, staring at her sadistically, licking his lips. "Can I kill HER?"
The hero's eyes flashed blue. "Princess Zelda?" He asked. "No. she has helped me. Cared for me. She deserves our pity now."
"Our?" the princess thought. Now choosing to ignore the skitsofrenic conversation Link was having with himself. "What happened to him? Does this have anything to do with him being exposed to the darkness the sages told me about?"
"Elliminate Zelda."
The princess was brought out of her trance upon hearing the words being uttered from the hero's mouth.
His eyes were red, making his glare seem as if it could cut through metal. He let out a raspy laugh. "Seems that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!" He hissed, flexing his claws in anticipation.
The blue eyed Link looked up, defiance showing in his expression "Who are you?"
A pause. "What?"
"Who are you?" the blue Link asked again.
Red eyed Link took control, snarling at his other half. "Fool. His rough voiced hissed, "I am you. Your inner thoughts, your instincts. I am what keeps you alive when all hope is lost. Listen to me, and you will live."
The red Link drew himself up, lashing out at Zelda from behind the bars. The chains that were clamped around his wrists groaned as they were slowly bent out of shape. Red Link smiled triumphantly when one broke.
"Get ready princess." He growled.
Do not listen to him Link.
The blue eyed Link looked up, past his monarch, fixing his gaze on something behind her. "Farore?" he asked as if he wasn't sure.
"Farore?" Zelda thought, looking around frantically to find the source of the voice. Her eyes met only air, but a beautifully melodic voice met her ears.
Do not listen to him. He seeks to possess you, to have a body of his own. Allow me to lend you my power. Do not rely on the Madyrn jheas for help. You can only extract small doses of his power. Too much, and he will be free.
Zelda saw the hero nod, closing his eyes and relaxing into his semi-mangled chains. He began to glow with the same green light as he had done when he was unconscious. When Link opened his eyes again Zelda gasped. They were neither red nor blue, but green.
I will take you away from here, the hero said, his voice one with the goddess'. To the place where a friend waits for you.
The destroyed chains melted away from his arms, forcing Zelda to back away from the intense heat that emitted from the boy's body.
He looked up, forcing his green eyes to meet her blue ones. "Sorry Zelda." He said, smiling warmly at her. "FARORE'S WIND!"
With a flash of green light, Link was gone, leaving the princess standing alone in the dungeon.
Zelda went over the event in her head, trying to come to terms with something that the goddess of courage had said.
"Madyrn jheas…" she thought slowly. "It's old Hylian, a language only spoken by the royal family now." Zelda recalled her years of study under her father. "Madyrn jheas… shadow leech?"
XXX
The grandfather clock in the castle study ticked away, marking each agonizing second of a fairy's eternal life with pain.
Tick
"One more second away from my family."
Tock
"One more second away from my home."
Tick
"One more second where I feel my freedom slip away."
Tock
"One more second Link hasn't come for me."
Navi sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, her eyes glazed and unfocused. The wretched clock ticked away her time in confinement. "Damn" she whispered. "Damn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN!"
"Enjoying your time here fairy?"
"I would be a little more compliant if you rid me of that Goddess damned clock!" Navi retorted, snarling out her words.
"Oh princess…" chuckled the voice. "I leave it here to remind you of your predicament. You see…" she heard footsteps move closer to her prison. She didn't bother to look up. "This glass," she felt something tap against the bottle she was held in. "is made with pure crystalized twilight. The only thing your pesky fairies seem to grow weak from. "
"And what of you oh kind sir?" Navi finally turned to face the owner of the voice, a man whose figure was covered by the shadows. "If you were Hylian you would not be able to come within three feet of this bottle without becoming a soul, and you most certainly have not."
"For one so small you are quite smart!" laughed the man, his shadow beginning to pace around her. "Yes, I am NOT Hylian. But that is no concern of yours right now."
"Then pray tell me what IS my concern?"
Navi could practically hear the smirk in his words, "Whether or not you make it through the night. You know you cannot survive this blatant exposure to twilight for much longer."
"Your point being…?
"I want information. Tell me all that you know about this little quest and I will release you."
Temptation flowed through the fairy, logic urging her to free herself. "Link left me behind… what do I care?" but somehow the thought didn't feel right. Navi straightened up, getting to her feet. "I will never tell you anything. I have faith in my hero. He WILL stop you!"
The man hissed, picking up the twilight bottle and tossing it across the room. The fairy hit the wall of the container. Twilight flowed through her limbs, sucking the strength from her body.
"When I return, you had better have a more friendly attitude."
Navi snarled, the animalistic sound pleasing her. She could feel the hot tears stream down her face. "BASTARD!" she called after him. The princess got to her feet, cradling the remains a shredded wing in her arms. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!"
The sound of maniacal laughter reached her ears, making her glow turn from blue to red.
As silence flowed through the room, the incessant ticking of the grandfather clock resumed. As fairy dust flowed from her damaged wing, Navi paced in a small circle.
"He had better have a good reason for this."
Cliffy? I think so!
…Link seems to have changed has he not? This could spell trouble for the hero! OH NO! WHAT WILL HAPPEN! Review and I shall consider allowing you to find out!
Also, continuing the new trend of side notes…
1. Fairies don't bleed. Their bodies leak fairy dust to help heal them. That's why fairy dust heals people!
And sorry it is kinda short. I COULDN'T WAIT!
Till next time hommies. LNMHYLIAN is out