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Chapter 4: Friends in the Forest

Roy and Marth sat around the fire, Roy tending to the wounds the boy had gathered during the fight. The closer Roy looked, the more Roy realized that he wasn't human. He had pointy ears, meaning he was an elf, though this was only Roy's assumption. While applying ointment to the boy's cheek, the boy groaned, causing Roy to jump back in surprise. The boy's eyes fluttered out slightly before he sat up, with some help from Roy. "Where am I?" the boy asked as he looked from Roy to Marth.

"It's kind of like our base camp from now." Roy smiled as he handed him a cup of water, which he gladly drank. "Do you remember what happened?" Roy asked after he had finished.

"I...I remember I was attacked, but I don't remember much before that, or after." he mumbled as he sat up straight. "By the way, my name's Link."

"Hi Link. My name's Roy, and this is Marth." Roy smiled as Link laughed to himself.

"Nice to meet you guys. And thanks for helping me," and that was the last thing he said for a while. Marth finished polishing Link's sword and shield before handing it back to them. Marth looked up and sighed before looking at Roy.

"It's time to go again. It's almost morning."

"Seriously? It's already morning?" Roy asked as Marth shrugged and got up, clearly not pleased with having to leave again. Link got up with them and started to follow them. "Link? You're coming with us?" Link nodded in response.

"I heard you guys talking while I was unconscious. I know how to open the gate you're talking about." Link replied before returning to his silent demeanor.

"Thanks Link. You'll be a huge help." Marth smiled as he picked up his pace some. "C'mon. We don't have all day."

They were outside of the forest by the middle of the afternoon. They had stopped to take a little break before Link heard a ruffle back behind them. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Marth asked as he looked behind him, but didn't see anything. Link shrugged and they kept walking, though Link quickly turned again when he heard something behind him and put his shield up out of instinct, a arrow clashing with the metal. "What the-" Roy cried as he turned and was faced with a sword before dodging.

"What's going on? What are these things?" Marth asked as he slashed one and it dispersed.

"I can't tell. The thing that attacked Link did that, but this isn't it. But they kind of look like..." Roy started before he slashed one off of him and backed away just long enough to see.

"Risen!" the two royals cried simultaneously as they both slashed one.

"What are they?" Link asked as he readied his arrow and shot one up in the trees.

"They're like undead, but...it's hard to describe." Roy sighed as he moved out and shoved one over before stabbing it in the chest.

"Where did Risen come from anyway? That don't live in this part of the forest?" Marth asked as one grabbed his arm. "Hey! Let go of me!" Marth cried as he hit it with his elbow, to no avail. "What? Why is this one so strong? Um...guys! A little help here!" Marth cried as another Risen grabbed his other arm and he dropped his sword. Roy turned and ran up to the Risen and slashed at it, the purple mist only came out of the wound.

"It's so strong!" Roy cried as he slashed at it a couple more times, finally destroying it, and Marth was able to get his other arm free. Lots more Risen came up from behind Marth, though Roy quickly shoved him out of the way and deflect most of the attacks, though one slashed at his shoulder, but he didn't mind. "It's seems like the strong ones are after you Marth." Roy stated before about ten Risen ran past Roy and Link and attacked the prince, though Roy was able to catch a strange mark on a few stranglers. That mark! I've seen it before. But where? Roy thought hard as he and Link ran up to help the blue-haired prince, but were blocked by other Risen blocked their way, though they were able to slash through them quickly. That's it! I've seen that mark in Zephiel's castle! So these Risen are...being controlled by Zephiel? But...when did he learn magic? "Marth! Can you here me!?" Roy cried as he continued slashed at the Risen until Marth was visible again. Link dashed in and grabbed the beaten prince. "Link! Take Marth with you and run!"Roy cried as he dodged another attack from the Risen. Link only looked at Roy and nodded, taking Marth by the hand and running. Link looked behind him and saw the stronger ones still following him. Link shoved Marth forward and drew his sword. He only looked at the young prince before slashing another Risen.

"Link, wait!" Marth called before Link shot him another glance, only saying one word: "Run."

"But Link-"

"I said run!" Link growled as a Risen slashed at his back, though he quickly recovered. Marth only looked at him in shock before something inside of him told him to run. He ran for only Naga knows how long before stopping at another clearing where more Risen were waiting. "Gods! What now? I can't die here." he growled to himself as he readied his sword as one of the Risen lunged at him. He quickly sidestepped and hit it in the back, the purple mist spilling from the wound. It quickly fell to the ground with a moan and dispersed as Marth sighed and looked towards the other Risen. Within dealing with that one, about twenty others showed up. I can't fight twenty Risen by myself. I have to run. He looked around and realized the only way to run was back. He took one step back and felt something grabbed his arm. He turned and saw a Risen holding his arm as another reached for his other. These Risen a smarter than the others. Their only instinctive is to kill, not to capture. He groaned as he struggled to escape to no avail. He was defenseless. He dropped his sword and his arms were being held tightly by the two Risen as he continued to walk. The Risen dragged him along before something went flying through one of the Risen's chest and he fell to the ground, along with the other one after another shot.

"Two direct hits! This must be my lucky day." the boy cried as he landed on the ground next to Marth. "Hey! You okay. Sorry if I scared you." the boy smiled as Marth looked at him and saw a boy with brown hair and bright blue eyes just like his. But the one thing that caught him off guard were the hugged feathered wings protruding from his back.

"Uh...yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for saving me. My name's Marth."

"Hi Marth. My name's Pit." he smiled before turning as he held hissing behind him. "Woah! How many of these things are there?"

"Lots. And there after me. You don't have to fight if you don't want to though." Marth sighed as he picked up his sword and stabbed a Risen in the chest, collapsing to the floor. These ones are much weaker. He thought to himself as he saw gold and blue brush past him as another Risen fell. "These things aren't that strong. Not as strong as other monsters I've faced." Pit shrugged as he continued to strike at the Risen, along with Marth.

"Wasn't that just a bow?" Marth asked as he slashed through two Risen, then another that tried to attack Pit from behind.

"It was. But they can change into blades and can change back." Pit replied coolly as they both finished off the last of the Risen. "I guess that's everything." he replied as Marth sheathed his sword before gasping.

"My friends! They went to deal with the stronger Risen so I could escape." Marth replied before running off.

"Marth, wait!" Then he sighed. "He doesn't know what he's getting himself into."

"Link!" Roy had cried as Link looked up from his resting moment. "What happened to Prince Marth?" Link only looked at the remaining Risen in the direction that Marth had ran. "Was he caught?" Link shrugged before shaking his head, still confusion clouded his aqua eyes. The Risen hissed and Roy turned and drew his sword once more, though he was out of breath. They slashed at the remaining Risen before all the undead creatures suddenly turned, as did the two teens. Standing amidst the was blue, lots of blue. "Marusu?! What are you doing!?"

"I couldn't leave you guys. It's me they want, not you guys."

"But still-"

"There's no still. I'm fighting! Whether you like it or not!" Marth cried as he stabbed another Risen, though there were still about seven left. Marth looked from Roy to Link and groaned. There's no way they can keep fighting. They're both exhausted. Then he looked up as another blue hair flew past his ear. "Pit! I thought-"

"I'm not leaving you Marth! You can forget that." he said as he eyed the Risen once more. "Six left. Three and three Marth." Pit called out as they finished the remaining six Risen. Once they were done, Marth sheathed his sword and ran over to his friends. "Guys! Are you okay?" he asked, slightly out of breath as he looked between his friends.

"We're fine. But why in all of Naga did you come back?!" Roy yelled as he shook Marth's shoulders, the young prince's head bobbing back and forth.

"I couldn't leave you. Once the Risen that blocked my way were-"

"There were Risen blocking your way? We need to leave. It's not safe in here." Roy sighed as he looked and saw Pit descending. "Who's this?"

"This is Pit. He helped me defeat some of the Risen."

"And he's a-"

"Yes. I am. It's nice to meet you. You must be Lord Roy." Pit smiled as he waved his hands.

"How do you know my name?"

"Lady Palutena told me about you. And your name is Link. And I've already met Prince Marth." Pit shrugged as the three looked between each other. "What are you guys doing in here in the forest anyway?"

"We're looking for our friend." Roy replied as looked at Ike's sword, which was strapped to his belt, next to his sheath.

"He's in the middle of the forest?"

"Well...It's a little more complicated than that. He's...lost. But he's not in the forest. We just need to go through the forest to find him." Marth replied as Pit shrugged.

"Can I come? That's what Lady Palutena wanted when I came down here?" Pit asked as Roy and Marth exchanged glances before they both shrugged before looking at Pit.

"Sure, why not?" Marth replied again as Pit flew off above them, the other three walking close behind. Alright Ike. We have a party, and now we're coming to save you.

Hey guys. I've got big news...SCHOOL'S OUT FOR ME! That means I can write a lot more. And I'm probably going to do a Vocaloid story based on Cendrillon that popped in my head when I was writing. Also, please check my homepage and vote on my poll for which story you want to see next.

See u guys l8tr!