Chapter I – Loveable Memories.
*A year before Spirit Tracks*
"NOOOOOOO!" Byrne yelled out loud, gasping for air, waking from a horrible nightmare. "No… not again…" Byrne whispered softly, while a tear ran down of his cheek. "Isn't it bad enough… to know… that you're gone…", Byrne said, staring at a photo... A photo of him with his scarf on, and a young girl with red glasses, a brown dress with gray sleeves underneath it and gray pants. They were smiling while birds were surrounding them and eating crumbs out of their hands. "And especially today is it bad, that I've lost you, exactly 4 years ago… And it's my fault…", Byrne buried his face into his hands and remembered the things and feelings that he has gone through… Happiness… Love… Pain… Sorrow…
Flashback.
*4 years ago, 3 months before it happened.*
A warrior named Byrne was training outside the Tower Of Spirits, when he suddenly heard a scream in the forest. Byrne's ears tuned in on the sharp scream, and he immediately took off in search of the sound. "AAHHH!" screamed the voice again. "Whoever it is, it's close…" Byrne thought and continued on his search. He slid through some bushes and saw then who it was. A young girl with a brown dress was stuck in a tree, while Moblins surrounded the tree. The monstrous wood beings seemed quite annoyed at the girl."Oh, man, why me? I always get myself into trouble! ANYBODY, HELP ME! One of the monsters slammed roughly against the tree and sent her tumbling. "WOOOOHHOOOOHHAAAAAHHH!", but she was able to grab a branch and keeps herself hanging on. "OH, MY GOD!" she screamed out.
Byrne charged up towards the Moblins, beating them up and sending them scurrying. "Huh? What's going on down there?", the young girl asked wearily. She looked forward, and saw, much to her dismay, the branch snapping. "Uh oh.", she said. Byrne, smirking in success, looked up to see the girl staring at the snapped branch. "SON OF A BIT-" the girl sharply screeched, now plummeting toward the ground. Byrne lazily moved under her, catching her before she hit the ground. For a few minutes she shuddered, but then she slowly opened her eyes and realised that the man saved her life. "Oh my goodness, are you alright, sir?", she asks. Byrne was a bit surprised that she asked if he was ok, instead of her, but chuckled, "I'm fine…Are you…" Byrne asks, but couldn't finished his sentence, the girl hugged him and said, "Thank you so much, you saved my life!". Byrne couldn't believe what she was doing, but he definitely had no objections. "Thank you again, mister… What's your name?", the girl asks. "I-I'm Byrne…", he said. "I'm Jessie. Nice to meet you!", she said and stood up. "Let me give a hand, Byrne.", she simply smiled. Byrne took her hand and thought, "This… human… is far different than the other ones… This one's… special…".
From that moment on, the two became nearly joined at the hip. They were the best of friends. They shared stories, told jokes, and learned a lot about each other. Byrne told her that he was a Lokomo, a Guardian of New Hyrule. He also told her about the lessons he had began receiving from Master Anjean. Jessie was impressed, noting the fact that he had taken a huge task and responsibility. Byrne never thought off that he would be friends with a human, let alone a female. All the time they spent together was magical. The feeling he had grew bigger and bigger each day. Jessie on the other hand felt like that the same way, only they both didn't admit it to each other. Byrne never felt this… happy in his life.
*A month later*
Jessie stayed with Byrne to watch him train. She was perched near the Tower of Spirits, eyes focused on the Lokomo. She found it strange how he never took his scarf off while he was training. She almost wondered why he wore it every day. Panting, Byrne pulled himself up from his pushup stance, obviously in need of a break. He noticed that she was staring and asked, "Yes, Jessie?" "Uh… Never mind." she said and looked the other way. "Is there something wrong?" Byrne asked. "Well… I wanna ask you something, and uh… I don't want to offend you or anything like that…" Jessie said. "What is it you want to know?" Byrne asked. "… Why are you wearing that scarf?..." She asked nervously. Byrne knew that she was going to ask it someday. He didn't know how to tell her about it and began to sputter. Jessie quickly cut in, "I'm sorry, Byrne. I just got… a bit curious… I shouldn't asked." Byrne stared at her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Jessie felt the hand and flushed a bit. "If you want to know, I'll tell you then." he said. "You… you don't mind at all?" she asked. "I… I never told anyone about it… except my Master Anjean. She helped me after what happened."Byrne said. "What happened?", Jessie asked, who got more curious by the minute, but also worried more of him. Byrne sighed and said, "It all started a year ago…".
*Byrne's Story*
Byrne was guarding on the top floor of the Tower Of Spirits at the altar where the spirits locked Malladus away. The bitter chill of the Tower even set Byrne of. Being this close to Malladus was creepy. Everything was at peace, but not for long. Byrne sensed something creeping up the Tower. His instincts true, he spotted a somewhat human shaped shadow figure. It glared at him, sending a bit of panic shooting through his veins. "Who are you?", Byrne said and set himself in a fighting position. The shadow snickered, making him shudder. "I'm here for my master," it sneered. Byrne spat, "Not on your life!" The shadow began to fluxuate, and expanded to about twice the size of Byrne himself.
Spitting acid at him, it began to slash at him with its claws. Byrne dodged a few blows, but was winded by a punch to the gut. Byrne sent a punch back, send it spiralling into a wall. It screeched, sliding along the floor like a serpent. Grabbing the Lokomo by the legs, it began to crawl up Byrne's chest, teeth sinking into his shoulder. Byrne howled in pain and punched it in the face. The shadow had apparently seen enough, as it dragged its surprisingly searing hot claws down its face before bolting for an exit. Byrne had won the fight, but the blood draining from him began to take its effect. He felt consciousness slipping from him, and he fell to the ground in a heap.
A few hours later, Byrne wakes up in his bedroom, with Anjean, his Master, standing by his side. "Uhm…" Byrne said with a painful head. "Relax, my child, you are still weak," Anjean said. Byrne placed his hand on his head, groaning. "It sure was hard…" he said and noticed the bandages all over his left hand and arm. He even felt some bandages covering his face. Byrne groaned of the pain. "Don't move, Byrne. You got lots of cuts and wounds. You need rest." Anjean said. Byrne simply closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Days of searing pain and shadowy nightmares passed, and finally he was allowed to leave.
Staring in the mirror of his rooms, he saw the marred scars on his face. They were hideous. His left arm seemed the same, but was in even worse internal shape. He could barely move the damn thing. That worried him…
He couldn't even stand up to one of Malladus' shadow's, and he was now handicapped? He was screwed. He slid a gauntlet on his arm, and began to think of ways to improve it. New weapons, uses, something, anything to make him less useless. Tears almost brewing at his eyes, he grabbed a winter scarf in his closet, and threw it over his mauled face, hoping no one would ever see them ever again...
*Byrne's Story End.*
Jessie was speechless. "Wow…" was all she said. Byrne sighed, and looked away from the Hylian. "Byrne, please don't feel bad about it." Jessie said and stood in front of him, trying to make him feel better. "Why do you hide it away? Having scars isn't that bad. I think they're pretty cool.", she said. Byrne looked at Jessie again and asked, "You… think that scars are cool?" "Well, yeah… uh… Everyone gets scars in their life, and it's not bad to have it.", she said, Byrne listening intently. "It actually shows us that of what we have been through in our lives… Telling us stories and memories… Showing us that the past was real…" Jessie said. Byrne was taken aback from the almost innocent wisdom. He never looked of "scars" that way before. "Besides," Jessie continued, "I'll bet that you, even with those scars, look good and handsome as ever…" Jessie blushed immediately, prompting a grin form Byrne. "Oh, I'm sorry! I uh… oh dear…", Jessie's face turned red. "Why am I even saying that? I don't even know how he looks like…", she thought in her head. Byrne simply raised an eyebrow, prompting an annoyed glare from Jessie.
"Please, stop staring at me, Byrne! It's embarrassing enough for me!", Jessie said and turned around, away from Byrne. Byrne laughed and sat down next to her, mumbling, "Hey, I can take a compliment." Jessie suddenly felt like she was choking on her tongue. She turned back at Byrne, eyes widened. His face was revealed, claw marks moving up and down his cheeks. Both went even redder, if possible. "You're probably looking at it…", Byrne said and looked the other way, hiding his scars again. Jessie shook her head, "No, Byrne…", she places her right hand on his face, making him to look back at her, "I'm not looking at the scars… I'm looking at you…", she said while rubbing his scar-cheek with her thumb. Byrne felled like he skipped a heartbeat. The two couldn't stop staring into each other eyes and their faces couldn't stop blushing. Their heads were leaning against each other and their heartbeats moved faster and faster. "Do you… feel different… Jessie?", Byrne whispered. "Yes…", Jessie whispered. "Me too…", he whispered back. " I know you are…", Jessie whispered, their lips just centimetres apart, "Just let it be…" and pressed her lips against his. Byrne couldn't believe what's happening now, but he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her to make the kiss longer and more passionate. Jessie did the same reaction. His first kiss… Her first kiss… Their first kiss together… "So… this is… how love… feels like…", Byrne thought.
To Be Continued…
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