Yiga.
That was what Wild called them. It was not the first time, but it was just Warriors' dumb luck that he encountered them again while separated from the group. He should have listened to his instincts telling him something was off from the lone traveler he met on the road. He should have turned away when asked where a dragon named Link was. The heroes were tested using bananas the first time they landed in this era despite being led by the Champion. The Captain did not particularly like the fruit, but now, he hated it.
"Are you sure this one's with the hero?"
The vampire hero kept his head low, pretending to be still knocked out after that ambush. He was brought somewhere close to where he had encountered them. It was difficult to pinpoint precisely where - this era no longer had the distinctive artificial scents from civilizations like his. It was raw and magically saturated, regressing to its original state after a hundred years. It was like their resident cook - unpredictable, wild, and divine. Hyrule had once complained of a lingering headache because of the wild magic running free across these lands.
"Yeah. I've seen him traveling with him before. I think there were others, too."
The Hero of Warriors set his jaw. He did not need psychic abilities to know what they were up to. They would use him as bait - one that would guarantee this era's hero's appearance. Like hell, he would let them. He despised traitors - he would wring their necks once he made his consciousness known.
However, Warriors hesitated. Not because this was not his Hyrule but because these guys were fellow vampires. His kind was infamously known for the brutal and bloody wars against werewolves long ago. The lupine shapeshifters were their archnemeses, but other races were dragged into it. These facts sprouted the stigmas still surviving today, making the entire vampire court extremely cautious and paranoid of their actions. A single slip could result in exile. If the Sheikah did not serve the royal family closely or if he was not a hero chosen by the Goddess, they would be outcasts to the entire kingdom.
Alive but not living.
Free but without a will.
The Captain sympathized with them, but this was where he drew the line here. His kind's past might be rife with turmoil and bloodshed, but it did not mean he had no chance for a bright future. More so to know people who would understand and accept him.
If the assassins after the Hero of the Wild were vampires, it made sense for the man to be wary of him from the get-go. The same could be said with him - Volga and his minions left him with a bad impression of dragons. He had left him with a scar not even a pure-blooded vampire could heal. The Hero of Warriors had difficulty befriending the other hero, much more than Sky. He might have also triggered some bad memories when Wild was still a knight.
Still, Warriors tried and persevered. He might never earn the same trust and respect the dragon had with Twilight, but being trusted enough to watch his back was a huge honor. Not just from the Champion but also from the rest of his fellow heroes. He would never break that trust.
"Should we use this guy as bait?" A red and black boot nudged the hero. "He's a vampire, too. Might be a Sheikah. That adds to his value as a hostage, right?"
"Doubt it. Never seen someone from that village with blond hair."
"What should we do then?"
"Take him back to the hideout." A beefy hand gripped the hero's scarf. "Let the elders find a use for him and-"
Warriors twisted away from the Yiga Blademaster's grasp and swiped a hand across the wrist holding him. Blood splattered, and a hand dropped on the ground like rotting fruit. His movements were so fast that only silence followed. Realization only came a second later, and a guttural scream from the owner of the severed limb.
"AAAAHHHH! YOU BASTARD-!"
The Captain cut him off with a headbutt. The pieces of the rope that bound him fell to the ground. He rubbed his wrists, watching as the red marks quickly faded. What a bunch of idiots. Why use an ordinary rope if their prisoner was a vampire too? Were they really assassins? He lifted his gaze back to the Yiga members, who had armed themselves and formed a loose semi-circle around him.
"I've got to say," The vampire hero smiled winningly. "Being a decent actor has its perks. It's quite…." He stooped and plucked the hand off the ground. "Handy."
The one missing the limb hissed at him. "You-!"
"What? Not good enough of a pun for you?" The Hero of Warriors made a show of interlocking his fingers with the limb. "Or is my face distracting you? Here, I'll hold your hand like we're star-crossed lovers. We can talk about it over a candlelight dinner and -"
"KILL HIM!"
Warriors had half a mind to dodge a sickle swinging from behind. Talk about rude. Hand-to-hand combat was not his preferred cup of his tea - it was messy, and he did not want his scarf to get dirty. However, the Captain had no choice - he had no weapons except his own body. He twisted slightly and drove his fist into his attacker's face. The other vampire fell back to the dusty ground with a Whump!
Another Yiga footsoldier charged toward the hero, but the latter ducked and swept his leg under the masked man. He stomped a boot against his opponent's chest and hefted the chopped hand. "Hey, you! Catch!"
An indignant shout was muffled by the limb smacking someone's mask. It dropped on the grass, where sunlight peeked from a gap between the tree canopies. It began to sizzle - the digits quickly disintegrated to ashes.
"Don't let it burn, you idiot!" The Hero of Warriors sighed. He waved dismissively. "Too late." He turned to the buffest Yiga with a shrug. "Sorry about that. It was a nice hand, too. Pretty smooth. What hand cream do you use?"
"RARRGHH!"
Warriors barely dodged a curved blade a mere centimeter from his face. The grunt beneath him grabbed his ankle and pushed him. The Captain yelped as he flailed backward and ungracefully stumbled away from another swipe. The metal nicked his cheek, and he leaped away to put some distance between them.
The hero landed on a crouch and wiped his thumb over the cut. He looked at the blood and heard snickers in front of him. The Yiga Blademaster straightened - his amputated arm had already closed up. The Hero of Warriors could almost see the smug smirk underneath that tasteless mask.
"Come on, brat. Or is that all you got?" The Sheikah traitor taunted. "I'll get you back for my hand. I'll tear you limb-to-limb and throw you to a Molduga!"
Lucky bastard. Warriors huffed. He was miffed the fucker had the audacity to gloat when he was not the one who made the hit. Still, he supposed it was his fault…and Legend's. He might have been hanging out around the merman longer than it was considered healthy.
What to do now? The Captain could kill them all and call it a day. Or, he could just scare them off and be done with it. However, it was highly likely that they would come back for revenge. It might put Wild and Flora in more danger than necessary. If that happened…
…No. The Hero of Warriors shook his head. He could not let that happen. He would not be able to forgive himself if he allowed that. However, Warriors could not just twiddle his thumbs, waiting for the others to rescue him. He had to do something - one that would hit two birds with one stone. He might come to regret it afterward, but that would be a problem for future him.
The Captain stood up, gathering the blood dripping down his cheek using his fingers. The wound did not heal immediately, unlike usual. Not yet. He wanted to show something to these traitors. That, and he could smell a familiar scent approaching their direction.
"That's a lovely offer," The vampire hero smiled politely. It was a practiced curve on his lips he wore before the royal court. "But I'll have to decline. My brothers are on the way, and I'd hate to make them wait any longer."
The Hero of Warriors opened his bloodied palm. The red liquid staining his fingers lifted into tiny orbs. "Consider this an act of mercy. Otherwise," The vibrant blue of his human eyes was completely swallowed by its true color. "There are worse fates than death by my hands."
The blood orbs shot toward the Yiga before they could blink, piercing through the lightweight fabric and embedding deep into their veins. A few mixed with the already spilled blood of the largest Sheikah traitor. A moment of utter silence followed.
"What did you -"
…And then, chaos. The red fluid on the ground shot up and solidified into spikes, embedding in the back of the nearest opposing vampire. The dying scream was cut short - the source of it exploded into ashes. A footsoldier charged toward Warriors, but the animated blood grabbed him by the ankle. It crept swiftly across his body, slipped between his clothes and the protective artifact, and wrenched the latter away. The Captain only heard the man's screams as he slightly turned his head towards another one. He narrowed his eyes, and the Yiga member abruptly stopped.
"Hey! Why are you - GUH!"
A curved blade mercilessly sliced the only other remaining grunt. The last one loomed above the sprawled body with his stained weapon poised for the kill. The Yiga Blademaster snarled and shouted at his clanmate. "Stop! What are you doing, you moron? He isn't the enemy -"
"I-I…" The voice was a contrast to the firm grip on the hilt. "I wasn't - I didn't mean to! I can't control my body!"
"What?"
The answer was the weapon lodged in the stomach of the enemy vampire. The injured one had slashed his sickle with a crazed look in his eyes. "Y-You, traitor! How dare you! I'll kill you!"
The hero stared at the broad back of the largest Yiga member as the latter could only watch his fellow clanmates brutally tear each other apart. The abrupt silence afterward was deafening, only interrupted by the Captain's steps.
"So," The Hero of Warriors started. He could smell the delicious fear coming from the other man. It was something his instincts could not resist. It was also something that made him feel like a monster. "What was that about you tearing me limb-to-limb?"
The Yiga Blademaster flinched and stepped back, tripping ungracefully on his feet. The poor guy scrambled backward, desperately trying to get away. "What -" He choked. "What are you?"
"What am I?" Warriors chuckled. "Oh, I'm just your ordinary guy. A vampire like you." He stopped and knelt before the Sheikah traitor. "I just happened to despise traitors and anyone who threatens everyone important to me."
The Captain poked the man in the chest and bared his fangs in a half-smile. "You just happened to be one of them."
"N-No! I-!"
The vampire hero placed a finger over his lips. "Sshh." He murmured. "Keep quiet, or else I'll make your body explode. I'm sure you don't want that, don't you? Just listen to what I'm going to say, and your life is secured, got it?"
A shaky nod. "Good." The Hero of Warriors hummed in satisfaction. He reached out and lifted the Yiga member's chin with a finger. "Now, listen well. I want you to deliver this message to your higher-ups. Tell them that from this moment onwards, any threat to the hero or anyone on his side will not be forgiven. I'll personally march into your place and wipe any trace of your clan's existence off this land."
Warriors' gaze darkened. "This is my ultimatum. Don't try to cross me or my brothers. You don't have any idea what we're capable of. They can be more frightening than I am. Do you understand?"
A whine and another nod. "Make sure this reaches everyone. I'll know if you don't do as I told you." The Captain smiled indulgently and patted the other vampire's cheek. "Now run along. Can let them see you, can't we?"
The Yiga Blademaster did not need to be told twice. He scurried away, scattering the ashes of his comrades in his hurried wake. The vampire hero simply watched, absently wiping the rest of the blood on his chin. The cut had healed, and he reassessed himself. He had not used too much blood for his ability. Good. He would hate to look like the dead before his fellow heroes.
Ah. He should also clear this mess. There was no telling the others' reactions if they found out. The bodies were already taken care of by the sun and wind. The Hero of Warriors just needed to discard the weapons and clothes and dilute the blood until -
"Captain."
Warriors nearly jumped from where he stood. He whipped around and found himself face-to-face with Time. The latter was alone and had gone ahead to find him. A singular eye surveyed the scene behind the Captain. No explanation was needed - the elder werewolf had always been quick to the uptake.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine," The vampire answered. He had told the other man before about this horrifying ability he had. Still, he could not shake the fear of being judged and shunned. "Just a small cut, but it's already healed."
"I see." The Hero of Time nodded. "So, you used it. Did you lose a lot of blood? Do you need to feed?"
"No. Not really."
Time walked past the other hero and stooped to pluck a Yiga uniform off the ground. "Let's burn these and wash everything else. I saw a river on my way here. We'll be able to finish and move to a different location before the others arrive. We'll have to dilute our scents before that, so tracking our steps here won't be easy."
The Hero of Warriors followed suit and picked up the nearest clothes. He spoke up without looking. "...Thank you."
The elder werewolf hummed. "You know you'll have to tell them eventually." He told him. "It's something you can't hide forever without consequence."
"I know. I don't want to break anyone's trust."
The Hero of Time approached him and touched his shoulder firmly. "You'll be fine, Captain. Once you're ready, I'll be there. Alright?"
Warriors smiled and gripped the hand. "Thanks. What will I do without you?"
"Don't be melodramatic." Time returned his smile. He perked up when a familiar howl sounded from a distance. "Come on. Let's hurry up. Pup's already calling everyone."
AU Lore:
Hemokinesis, or blood manipulation, is an incredibly rare bloodline ability originating from a fallen pureblood house in the Era of Chaos. Despite its dangerous power, it is a double-edged sword where one uses their own blood to do various things, thus, putting the user at risk of severe anemia or going berserk. Most users require to inject their blood to control their opponents. A few rare who have unlocked its full potential can use this ability without needing their own.
Only a few are immune to this powerful ability. These include werewolves, other vampires with the same power, and any beings with divine origin, like the spirit dragons (divine dragons) and the Hyrulean Royal Family. However, it is possible to counteract it using protective artifacts or spells or wearing a protective covering thick enough to prevent solidified blood from penetrating the body.