Hello everyone, and welcome to another chapter of…
"A Hero's Dream"!
With nothing else to talk about, on to the reviews, and than the story!
Inheritance1990: I know right! It's such a shame that so little people use it. And when they do, Link already has all the memories instead of growing with them. I did a few interesting things in this chapter, so pay attention to this type of text. Speaking of his luck, yes, it is horrible when you think about. And I can't but agree with you about Hylia and her sisters. He's been gifted E-Rank Luck for a reason, so it better come in handy!
Stevie572: I can see what you mean, since Link is usually what people come for, but Zelda… well Zelda's just as fun and interesting to write! Magic is fun, her abilities are cool, and writing someone who isn't necessarily a hero is new to me. So I hope you'll come to like Zelda's part of the story, and enjoy Link this chapter.
darkmist111: Well, that will be directly tackled in this chapter, so enjoy. I'm not married, so I wouldn't know too much.
Alexkellar: Good to see you! I was worried you had dropped off of the face of the Earth since you're usually so punctual! XD ! I tried my hardest with all of my character interactions, from Timothy to Eva. I agree that Timothy is slightly creepy, but as I said to a previous reader, it was meant to come off as someone who really misses his wife, not do some Psycho shit. And Blake… well, we'll get to that.
Death to Original Naming: I'm well aware of my earlier work, and have attempted to work on my faults. I hope this chapter ends up better grammar-wise.
Bloodhunter101: Yeah, like I told Death to Original Naming, I am working on it. I hope this chapter is better!
Now then, onto the story!
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Choose your Character!
— [Link]
[Zelda]
Continue?
— [Yes]
[No]
Chapter 8: Target Practice
Going from two years of an adventuring life-style to family life was… strange.
When I was adventuring, it was usually just me and Zelda. We always had a sense of urgency about us, resting only when we had to, and slowing down only if there was something in our way. We were never in one place for long, moving from town to town, forest to forest, that sort of thing.
Though Zelda had never really liked it, getting used to it instead of enjoying it, I wasn't the same. Camping in the woods, staring at the night sky with a campfire near me, simply enjoying nature….
That was how I lived, how I enjoyed living long before our adventures. Even when I joined the Knights Garrison of Kakiriko, I would camp outside some nights, feeling the cool night air. That was just how it was for me.
So waking up in the same place two days in a row was a lot stranger than I was willing to admit.
Waking up to something trying to jump on me…well actually, that was more normal than anything.
"Wake up Mr. Zombie!" I heard Eva shout as my eyes shot open, as she jumped up and down on the edge of the bed. She was in some fluffy pajamas, a part of me wondering how comfortable it was to sleep in that.
Though, my instincts were already on, and I was already rolling to the left off of the bed.
I impacted the ground, already grabbing my blade as in my mind I was ready to attack anything that snuck up on me. Eva's furry pajama's in my mind running only on instinct reminded me of a Wolfos, as I-
"Wow!" Eva cried out as she jumped on the bed, as I froze and blinked the sleep away from my eyes. "You're really fast Mr. Zombie! It usually takes Mom and Dad a few minutes before they're up!"
I sighed slowly, letting my heart and my muscles calm themselves, as I took my hand off the handle of my sword. When I was calm, I gave Eva a soft glare, letting her know that I wasn't too happy.
"That was dangerous Eva," I told her simply, as I set the Master Swords sheath on the ground, forcing my injured body to stand. Though, Eva didn't seem to get it, as she just turned her head to the side. "Don't scare me like that. I thought you were some kind of tiny Wolfos and almost hit you."
As her told her that though, she didn't seem to focus on the important part of what I was talking about.
"What's a Wolfos?" She asked me innocently, as if she didn't just hear the fact that I almost hit her with my sword. At least she stopped jumping on the bed though, as she jumped onto the floor in front of me. "Is that like Beowulf?"
"Sure," I told her with a sigh, as the sound of two other people moving in the house reached my ears. "But really. Why didn't you knock or something?"
"But I did!" She told me simply, as she crossed her arms and glared at me with her intense expression. If I were a weaker man, I would've flinched at her gaze which seemed to belong to hardened warrior. But none of the intent or strength was there, so it was just something that seemed odd to me. "You wouldn't wake up though! I even called out your name!"
I blinked again, looking at her in confusion, before I realized what had happened.
It would seem that, once again, my heavy sleeping habits have found a way to work against me.
"Oh," I said simply, as I looked to the side, an awkward feeling growing in my chest. "Well… just be careful next time. Ok?"
"Alright." She told me simply, as she turned and left the room as fast as her legs could carry her. "Oh, and Mom said she wants you to make breakfast if you can."
Of course she did. Not even a full day since I woke up, and she was already putting me to work. I really did get the wrong redhead...
Wait….
How many red heads did I know?
I thought back long and hard on my life, trying to look through my memories as best I could. I knew a few Gerudo who rejected Ganondorf's rule, and a few knights, but….
None of them reminded me of Carol. The only person Carol reminded me of was Marin, and I wasn't even sure who that was. Though… There was that fever dream...
That girl, Jackie, took the form of a woman with red hair… and she seemed familiar too...but alien? Granted her features were strange, downright otherworldly, but the form she took…
That wasn't how I knew her.
A strange thought came to mind, as I focused on it, trying to find where it came from. But nothing came to mind even as I tried to focus on it, that imp laughing at me in the back of my mind.
I hate it when she does that…
Again, a new thought from me and someone else… I didn't even know what I didn't like. For some reason though…
I rubbed my ear, feeling it ache in pain, as if someone tugged on it. Yeah, I definitely didn't like this feeling.
So, wanting to avoid feeling my ear ache again, I slowly made my way downstairs. Already knowing the ingredients from yesterday, I decided to make an omelette. Extra meat in Eva's of course, and the normal recipe for every other member.
… When did I learn how to make an omelette? For that matter, when did I know four different omelette recipes?
Anyway, ignoring that strange tidbit of knowledge, I slowly made my way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, I grabbed everything that was necessary or the omelette. Though, I quickly realized I wasn't able to stir the eggs right with only one hand…
Fried Eggs it is then.
So, grabbing everything I needed, and doing my best to crack the eggs with one hand, I made the house a simple meal. Bacon, fried eggs, with some orange juice I found in the fridge. Going the extra mile, I also set up the table and placed the meal onto the plate.
With everything cleaned up in the kitchen, and nothing else to do, I closed my eyes and measured the progress of my… housemates? Roommates? ...I'll go with rescuers.
Hearing the smaller footsteps running around one of the rooms, I knew that Eva wasn't quite ready yet. She was putting her clothes on, if the sound of excess cloth against skin was any indication.
Joseph was already up and ready for the day, his footsteps already making their way towards the stairs. I took a peek outside, seeing the sun crest just over some buildings, and glanced at the clock which read 7:30.
Both Carol and William were just about ready to come out of their room, no doubt ready to get their breakfast and head out.
I opened my eyes before turning toward Joseph, as he began to step into sight, a yawn at his lips. Before I was even in sight of him, I offered him a simple 'good morning'.
"Good morning…" Joseph tried to say through his yawn, while he stretched out his back. Loud pops were heard, though they could only be loud to me, as he gave a sigh of relief. Taking the final step down the stairs, he turned to me, as well as the food on the plate. "Already working hard I see."
"Please enjoy." I told him simply, sitting down and eating to the best of my abilities with only one hand. A part of me was tempted to just grab the egg and put the whole thing in my mouth, but that was just rude. And if Eva saw me, that would just be me being a bad influence.
"Don't mind if I do." He said out loud to no one in particular, as he sat with a smile on his face, grabbing his knife and fork. "Let's see if you outdid last night."
Moving quickly compared to me, who was cutting the egg with the edge of my fork, he took a bite of the food…
Before he gave a pure smile, as nothing seemed to be able to stop him from stuffing his face full of my cooking. I took that as a good sign, as I bit into the egg I had just made.
And it was pretty good. Not as good as what the omelette would have been, but still pretty good. Note to self, find a way to cook all the food I need with only on hand.
"This is really good!" Joseph stated with a satisfied smile on his face, as he completely finished his eggs and went on to the bacon. "You sure you're not a co-! Holy moly, you even seasoned the bacon!?"
I raised an eyebrow, watching as the man practically swallowed the two strips I had given him. Was that not what you would usually do?
"For that alone," Joseph began in between bites, swallowing his food down with a sip of his juice. "This meal is much better than yesterday!"
I gave a simple grin in his direction, taking another bite out of the meal I made. As I did, I heard tiny feet bound down the stairs, as an excited face was seen in the corner of my eye.
"Really?!" Eva said with a bright face, quickly climbing into her seat, grabbing her fork and knife."Where's mine, where's mine!"
The both of us chuckled at her enthusiasm, though I winced as my ribs moved. Moving quickly, I grabbed the one special egg, as Joseph poured her some juice. Though, when I sat back down, she glared at her plate before turning that glare to me.
"Where's my bacon?!" She asked with a small pout, as I only chuckled at her silly intense glare. Joseph on the other hand seemed surprised I was taking it in stride, as I swore he flinched at the sight of the girl.
"Relax," I told her with a small smile even as she continued to pout, as I took my fork and tried to cut the large egg in half. "I guessed you wouldn't eat the egg unless I gave you incentive to."
When I finally cut the egg in half though, her eyes shined again, as she quickly readied her fork. As soon as she could, she stabbed the egg filled crumbled pieces of bacon, and began eating the whole thing.
She really was a carnivore, huh?
With that said, I continued my own meal, as both Eva and Joseph enjoyed the eggs I had made. They finished much faster than I did though, devouring the entire meal before I even got the sixth bite of my egg. Though, that was just because they had both of their hands, and could use a knife.
Carol and William came down just as I took my seventh bite, moving down the stairs as quickly as they could. Seeing the breakfast that was laid out for them, they sat down and ate, consuming as much as they could in a short time.
It seemed that they were in a hurry.
"I take it there's somewhere you two have to be?" I asked them as I ate, watching as the family smiled over the breakfast I had made them. Carol seemed to enjoy it as well as her father, and though William was being quiet about it, I could hear the sound his tail was making as it hit his chair. When I asked though, they looked up at me with a raised eyebrow, before realizing something.
William ignored me though, as he kept eating his breakfast. He still didn't seem too happy to have a complete stranger in his house, though that was completely understandable. Carol on the other hand, swallowed the rest of her food and began to speak.
"We're heading out to Mistal," She told me simply, as I gave a simple nod, my mind going to the explanation Eva gave me yesterday. If she was right and I was remembering correctly, that was the name of the Kingdom near here. "William has his job up in the Upper Ring, and my bandmates and I are meeting for an important gig. So, we'll be away for most of the day, and be back a little after Eva comes home from school. So, while she's at school, you will be here resting with Dad while he checks on your wounds."
I gave a nod, showing that I understood what she was saying, even though some of the phrases didn't make much sense. Upper Ring? What was that? Other than that though, it was pretty simple to understand.
"Alright," Carol said with a smile at my nod, as she ate the rest of her meal. With that, it seemed that everyone was ready to move, as both the parents and their child got out of their chairs. "Time to get moving. It's Friday, so we need to move quickly or we'll get stuck in traffic. Eva?"
"Yeah?" Eva asked her mother, grabbing a pink bag that seemed to have some sort of mermaid on it. While that was going on, William was also grabbing his own bags, while Carol was just standing at the door.
"You're going to have to walk again." She told the young girl simply, as she opened the door, pulling a ring of keys out of her pocket.
Eva frowned at her mother's words, gripping onto the straps of her backpack tighter. "...ok."
Carol frowned too after seeing her daughter's expression, and I saw Williams ears twitch. It was obvious the girl didn't want to go alone, but from the expressions on their faces, William and Carol didn't have enough time.
Joseph, on the other hand, just gave a small grin. "Don't worry honey," Joseph began, sitting up and walking towards his granddaughter, before patting her on top of the head. "I'll walk you to school. That is, if you're ok with walking a little slowly?"
"...really?" Eva asked, perking up a bit as she loosened her death grip on her bag.
"Absolutely!" Joseph began, smiling down at his granddaughter with cheer. "It's been a while since we could hang out, just the two of us. I mean sure, we play a bit here, but I eventually just take a nap s- Ah forget it. I just want to hang out with my awesome granddaughter a while."
"Ok." Eva said with an infectious smile, as everyone took a second to smile. Even I smiled, despite feeling like the third wheel in this house, just watching with nothing to add.
Though, that didn't stop me from giving a raised eyebrow as William turned to me and frowned.
"You can't." William stated, crossing his arms with a briefcase in his hands.
"But dad!" Eva whined, looking up pleadingly at her father, as said man's ears seemed to droop. His face didn't show it though, as he just turned to me again, and pointed in my direction.
"Someone needs to stay and watch Link," He told Eva, and the rest of the family for that matter, as I felt my eyes widened. Though, that feeling of surprise turned into a calm acceptance, even though I felt a small flame of anger light in me.
"Will." Carol said with a glare, as she looked between me and her husband, looking offended for me. "We talked ab-"
"I said I was ok with taking care of him till he's better." William said quickly, cutting off his wife before she could say anything else. "But I am not ok with letting a stranger roam free in our house. Maybe when he was unconscious, but now? No, either Joseph stays to watch him, or he waits outside for him to come back."
"Will!" Carol cried out with a glare, no doubt feeling as if he had gone a step too far. But even under his wife's glare, Joseph didn't back down, no doubt feeling this was too important to just ignore.
And he was right.
No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I was both a suspicious stranger and a dangerous stranger to William. For all he knew, I could rob this house, destroy it or even bring people that had no place here. He didn't trust me unless I was constantly under supervision.
He was like a dog protecting his home, which made too much sense given his animal features.
Which was why I gave a passive nod towards Willam, as he seemed to relax ever so slightly. It seems he, like his wife, didn't like what he was saying even though he felt it was important enough to be said. It gave relief to that anger in my chest, knowing that he hadn't wanted to bring it up.
"It's fine," I told Carol honestly with a smile, as I turned towards Eva with that same grin. Despite my grin though, I could see that the woman would be having a conversation with her husband later. "I wanted to see the town anyway. What do you say Eva, want to show me around?"
The girl who was a little confused at the conversation that was happening earlier brightened into a smile. "Mr. Zombie is coming with me to school?! Awesome!" She cried out as she ran up to me, taking my good hand and leading me outside the door. She was pulling me really hard too, as my injured legs could barely hold the girl back.
All while Joseph looked at the scene with a joking tint in his eye, even though he forced a hurt expression on his face.
"What am I, chopped liver?"
It had been over fifteen minutes since Eva started dragging me across the village she lived in. Fifteen minutes of hiding just how painful it was to take each full step, as the girl pointed out certain buildings in the quaint neighborhood.
Despite that pain though, I had gotten the tour I wanted from the little girl. Even if that tour was in simplistic, child-like terms.
"... and over there is the- um… the farmers market! They have good chicken and desserts!" Eva listed off as we walked on the stone, as I leaned in a little so she didn't hand off my arm.
I nodded along with her excitement, keeping in mind what she said in case I ever needed to go back. But, most importantly…
I focused on what I could see in the distance.
This settlement, the village of Yaso, was near the base of one of the many large mountains that surrounded Mistral. This one in particular being the closest to Mistals walls, and the large city that you could actually see in the distance.
It was but one of the many villages close to the main capital, only a four hour carriage ride by the looks of it. Each one following the laws of the city, and trading between themselves as a way to get by.
This wasn't the observations of Eva though, but rather Joseph, who filled in some of the information that Eva couldn't.
"They sell the local products that we grow and trade to Mistral and many of the other villages." Joseph supplied next to me, walking next to me while teaching me about his home. "The land in Mistral is too rocky for anything other than mining, so it's our job to grow the food. In return, we get the much needed materials for building and keeping our way of life. Though, that was before we got the CCT up and running, allowing contact and trade with entirely different Kingdoms."
I nodded at his explanation, even as I tried to wrap my head around what he was saying. What about the Gorons? Couldn't you just have them dig up the precious metals and such? Unless there weren't Gorons…
This place was weird.
"Oh! And you can see our neighbors over near that mountain!" Eva shouted out, pointing to one of the four mountains that naturally surrounded the entire Kingdom. Specifically, she was pointing at a village near the peak of the mountain, overlooking the only way into the valley by foot. "Dad says they kill a lot of Grimm!"
Nodding at what Eva said, I instantly cast my glance towards Joseph for a better explanation. He laughed at my look, but otherwise did as I silently asked.
"Our sister village,Inaba, takes care of most of the defense and trading outside the Kingdom." Joseph began to explain simply, as he covered his eyes while looking up the mountain. "They take out any of the smaller Grimm that enter the valley, and greet most of our visitors from other countries. The bigger guys though… well the Academy's send Huntsmen their way if that happens. Oh, but that doesn't mean it's completely safe in the valley, so don't go there unless you stick to the roads. They say that some of the biggest Grimm are hiding out in some of the many cave systems, waiting to come and take little children away."
He said that last part rather loudly towards Eva, as the little girl just laughed at her grandfather's warning. Despite that laugh though, she walked a little slower, bringing herself closer to me.
Not that I could do much. I left my sword at their house so I wouldn't freak out any of the locals or the teachers at school. Though that didn't seem to be a problem, as a third of the people I walked by, mainly adults, seemed to have some kind of weapon on them.
So, note to self, bring the Master Sword everywhere I go, even to school.
Honestly though, that was something I should have expected. When Hyrule was besieged by Ganondorf and his Demons, everyone had a weapon even if they didn't have any training. It was a dangerous place, and dangerous tools were necessary on a daily basis in both worlds.
A tinge of worry seemed to squirm it's way into my heart, as I quickly crushed it with logic. She was fine. If those Grimm I had fought were anything to go by, then Zelda could kill them in her sleep.
… it was when the people like Raven came to mind that I was concerned...
"And, of course," Joseph began with a small smirk, as Eva let go of my hand, no longer leading me somewhere. "The moment you've all been waiting for… Eva's school!"
With a blink I finally seemed to register my surroundings and come out of my thoughts.
The building behind both Eva and Joseph was… well it was average sized for a school. It was nothing big or fancy like one would be expecting of a big city school, but it definitely seemed… connected was the right word.
I say that, because in front of the building was many different parents dropping off their kids in either horseless carriages or dropping them off. The sense of familiarity seemed to wash off of them, as every parent seemed to know each other. Some of them even noticed Joseph, giving a look and a wave, a shine of respect in each of their eyes.
It was why all of their stares in my direction almost gave my mind whiplash. Immediately as their eyes washed over me, they sharpened and seemed to focus on everything about me. They looked me up and down, inspecting me and trying to put a name to my face.
When they couldn't though, that was when the whispers started.
'Who's that with old man Joseph?'
'I've never seen him before…'
'A distant relative? Maybe someone from another Kingdom?'
'Look at his injuries? Is he a Huntsman?
'Look at his face… it's…'
'Who is that?'
A wall of whispers reached my ears, too many to decipher as over a hundred eyes seemed to turn in my direction. Too many reactions were present to gauge what people were thinking, as many mothers seemed to stare far too long.
I shifted uncomfortably, as I could feel the sweat drip down my back. It was like I was staring into a Bokoblin Nest, only I was a large slab of meat instead of a warrior.
I definitely should have brought my sword.
"Alright," Joseph began, stepping in between me and the wall of eyes as he talked to Eva. Even still, I could feel them all, glued to me like I was some kind of puzzle. "I'll come and get you when schools over, ok honey? Think you can handle yourself from here?"
"Yep!" Eva said simply, giving her grandfather a hug as she said so. "See you later Popop!"
She wasn't though, as she turned to me and gave me a big wave as she walked towards the school. "Bye bye Mr. Zombie! See you later!"
I returned the wave with a smile, using the only good hand I had to see her off. Though for whatever reason, the pressure of everyone's gaze seemed to increase as I did.
With that, the girl jogged into the school, ready for the day ahead of her…
As one of the mothers came up to Joseph, her eyes on him, but her gaze on me. The rest of the parents whispering in the background, still wondering who I was and what I was doing here.
"Well," The woman began as she walked, as Joseph turned with a beaming smile on his face. "It's rare to see you out and about. How've you been Joseph?"
"Not too bad," Joseph responded, as he walked closer to the woman, getting within respectable distance to talk. I, on the other hand, stayed right where I was with my mouth shut. "Just walking Eva to school, helping my daughter when she needs it. The usual really."
"Of course." The woman responded simply, as she turned to look in my direction, looking me up and down in curiosity. "And who's this? I've never seen him around here before. A friend of yours or…" She trailed off, giving the chance for either me or Joseph to fill in the blanks.
I stayed silent though, the wall of sound from curious people passing by hitting my ears. Joseph seemed to notice my difference in behavior, an eyebrow raised at what he thought was strange for me. Which made sense, seeing how I was quite open and calm with his family.
But he didn't hear the whispers…
"He really handsome isn't he…"
"Why do you think he's with Joseph?"
"You think this has something to do with all the arguments at the Church's home?"
"An affair? Or maybe William is int-"
"This here is Link," Joseph thankfully interrupted the whispers, as I blinked and brought myself back to the present. "He's a patient of mine that my daughter rescued when she was traveling with her band."
"Rescued?" The woman asked, looking towards Joseph with a curious expression, taking a second glance at my many wounds. "Oh dear, what happened? A Grimm attack?"
I kept silent but gave a shake of my head, trying to stay in the conversation to ignore the whispers around us. Again, Joseph looked at me funny, as if he was looking at an entirely different person.
"Apparently he was robbed by bandits." Joseph explained further, taking a glance at me every so often, wondering what was up. "When Carol found him, he could barely see straight, and had everything he owned taken from him. So, she called me to take care of him since he couldn't pay for it himself."
"That's…" The woman began, looking in my direction with quite a bit of pity in her eyes. Not that I minded, since this was still better than the rumor mill talking about me. "Well, if Joseph's taking care of you, you should be fine. Though nothing like the doctors over in Atlas, our resident Medic is certainly good at the trade."
My stoic expression was broken just slightly, as I lifted an eyebrow, finally joined the conversation. "Medic? Isn't he a doctor?"
That was the impression I had gotten from the way he looked over my wounds at least.
"Oh," The woman began with a smile, finally turning to me with a bit of mirth in her eyes. "So you can speak. That's good. And yes, Medic, not doctor. As to why… well, that's not my place to say."
As she said that, I turned to Joseph, my brow raised as he mouthed the words 'later'. I gave a small nod, letting him know I understood, even as he kept giving me funny looks.
"Well, I have to go." She told the both of us simply, giving a wave as she walked away from us. "It was good to see you again Joseph, and nice meeting you Link."
With that, we went our separate ways, as Joseph and I walked back to the house. A silence was hanging over us, as we both wondered what we were going to do with the information given to us.
Of course, I was quite simple when it came to conversation. It was I asked him about it the second we were out of earshot of anyone with enhanced hearing.
"So… a medic?" I began, relaxing as the sounds and the eyes were off me, as I gave him a curious look. He gave me the exact same look though, as he looked back at the school before giving a small smile.
"You don't like crowds, do ya?" Joseph asked, ignoring my question in favor of his own, as I simply sighed at his question.
"So it was that obvious, huh?" I asked him, slumping a little as I limped next to him, my ribs screaming at the slow movement.
"Not really," He told me honestly, matching my slow pace so that we could talk comfortably between each other. "If William didn't have a similar problem, I probably couldn't have guessed."
"William doesn't like crowds either?" I asked him, ignoring my pain as I shifted my body to make it more comfortable. "That must make it hard to watch Carol's band."
"It's more… more complicated than that…" Joseph stated slowly, as he brought a hand to his chin, thinking on the matter. "It's just… he doesn't like being the center of attention. Usually he lets Carol do all the talking, or just tries his best to pretend he isn't as uncomfortable as possible. With his size though, he usually just comes off as threatening."
I thought back to yesterday, when he was crossing his arms just watching me talk with Carol and Joseph. He didn't seem that uncomfortable...but I could see what the old man was talking about.
"You though…" Joseph began, pulling me out of my own thoughts as he looked at me under a microscope. "Yours is different from his. You obviously don't mind being the center of attention, seeing as you were so comfortable talking with us last night. But you weren't too crowded or close to anyone to be that uncomfortable…"
As he tried to figure it out, I simply smiled at him. He reminded me of Zelda when she was given a difficult problem to solve, and she really wanted to get it right.
...Once again, a trickle of worry seeped into my heart, as the smile turned into a frown. I crushed it though, saving it for when I had time to worry about it.
Even so, I forced the smile back as I turned to Joseph…
As I simply pointed at my ears.
Joseph's eyes seemed to light in recognition, as he smiled and gave a small chuckle. "I see…"
The answer was simple to me, and to Joseph too it seemed. My hearing was the reason I had problems with crowds.
When I was younger, one of the first lessons that I could remember in school was the religion of the Three Goddesses. In that lesson, they explained the differences and importance in the shapes of Hylians ears. See, some Hylians were born with shorter pointed ears, some with simple rounded ears. This really didn't affect much in daily life, and it wasn't a sign of status or anything like that. It is just a fact of biology for the Hylian race.
But I was born with long pointed ears, and gifted powerful hearing.
When they talked about people with ears like mine, it was always said to be a blessing. The Goddesses gifted few with such ears, as the men and women with these ears were said to hear the very whispers of the Goddesses. It was why all of the women of the Royal Family were gifted the same ears, without fail.
But to me… well at first it was more of a curse than anything.
Walking around, my mind was always filled with what people said to others behind their backs. I could hear them, what they said, the secrets behind closed doors…
And the whispers…
People thought that when they spoke quietly that no one could hear them. That was when they could say anything that comes to mind, hidden by the secrets they just barely spoke. But I could hear them, I knew what they said about others, about themselves…
And about me.
It was the reason I didn't speak a lot as a kid, as every other voice was so loud that I feared my own voice would be drowned out. And I feared what they said, as well as what they would say if they knew I could hear them.
It wasn't until recently, when I could actually do something about the things I heard, that it became more manageable. As a knight of Kakiriko Village, if I heard something, I could stop what was happening with my own power. It was much better than just being a child who had to deal with what he heard, from the worst insults to the secrets behind closed doors.
And it was certainly more of a blessing when Zelda and I started our quest to defeat Ganondorf.
So yes, I was uncomfortable with crowds, and had been since I was young.
"Too many people, making too much noise than?" Joseph asked me, my mind coming back to the present as we walked back. I gave a small smirk at his question though, as I just continued to walk ahead.
"Something like that," I answered vaguely, as Joseph just gave a small pout, almost forcing a laugh out of me. "And what about you? I've told you all a lot, but I barely know anything about you guys."
"Me?" Joseph asked, as he still matched my pace, looking at me with an amused glance. "What could possibly be interesting about an old man like me?"
I gave him a blank stare as I walked, as Joseph tried his hardest to hold back a laugh. He knew damn well what I was talking about, but he was playing coy for a laugh.
Eventually he gave in with a laugh, as he dug into his jacket and pulled out-
Was that a Sheikah Slate?!
I felt my eyes widen for a second, before going back into a neutral position, my mind racing with thoughts. Why in Hyrule did he have that?! In Hyrule, there was only one that I knew about, but Zelda locked it away in the Castle Vault. We decided that since the Calamity could take over technology, it was better if it was hidden until absolutely necessary! After we rebuilt Hyrule and used it to br-
I felt my brain short circuit, as I resisted the urge to hold my aching head in my hands…
Rebuilt Hyrule? What was I… that never happened. Hell, we never even made it back to the Castle after we defeated Ganondorf….
But still… was this world so advanced that anyone could have tech equivalent to the ancient tech? I needed to be even more careful than, cause all it would take is one Stasis Rune as I am now to end me.
But if that was the case, why didn't Raven just absorb this magic? Why kill a girl for her power if everyone had such power?
… maybe I was overthinking this. This could simply be a version of this worlds technology, nothing more. If everyone had a Sheikah Slate… well, I doubt they would be afraid of Grimm if that were the case.
Still, watching Joseph fiddle with his own Slate was oddly… nostalgic. I could see what he was doing as we walked, as the screen itself was see through from the back. He was moving through some pictures, trying to find the right one.
...they must be important to him…
I gave a small nod, agreeing as I watched and waited for Joseph to show me something.
He seemed to find the right picture though, as he gave a grin, and turned the Slate to face me. On it was a picture of twelve men and women, each of them sharing a uniform with their hands holding older versions of the guns the Branwen Tribe had. It was obviously years ago, as Joseph seemed much younger, and more serious if his expression was any indication. Behind them was a vehicle of some kind, large and shaped like a bird, it's door open and ready to take them anywhere they needed.
I blinked as everything clicked, the eyes shining with respect among the people of Yaso making sense. The man in front of me wasn't just a Medic or a Doctor…
This man was once a soldier.
"I was a Private First Class of the Kingdom of Mistral," Joseph explained as we walked beside me, putting his slate back into his pocket as he did. "One of the first to join the fight for the Faunus in the War of Rights. Though, not the last."
I felt my eyes widen in surprise, before I looked him in the eye…
And gave a small nod of respect, as I made sure to look into the terms Faunus and this War of Rights. Maybe that had something to do with the people who had animal traits in this world.
"Huh," Joseph began, looking at me with a smirk as he turned his head forward, watching where he was going. "Was expecting a bigger reaction than that. Most Faunus want to shake my hand, or thank me for my service and such."
He said this with an obvious joking nature, even though what he said seemed to be the truth. I raised my eyebrow though, as he seemed to be referring to me as a Faunus. Maybe something to do with my pointed ear? Makes sense, in a way, seeing as I hadn't seen a single person with the same ears as me.
But other than that, if he was referring to people like Eva and William, I didn't really have an animal-like trait.
Well, not normally anyway.
"Anyway," Joseph continued as we walked, as I could see the house from here. "I was the Medic on the team, keeping everyone in good shape despite the war going on around them. Didn't do much fighting or anything like that, but I did my job well enough to be known for it here. Even helped a few Huntsmen out, not that they really needed it. That's why the people here call me a medic. Sure, I can help people and have medical knowledge that normal people don't have, but I can't do any surgery or give out medication."
I watched as he scratched his cheek in a bashful gesture, while giving a simple nod. Some questions came to mind but so decided to leave those for later, as the both of us reached the door of the house.
"Well," Joseph continued pulled out a key he had in his pants pocket, and put it in the lock with a turn of his wrist. "That's enough about me. We need to check on your wounds. Take a seat, take off your..."
He looked in my direction as he opened the door, looking me up and down with a raised eyebrow. I met the gaze with a look of my own, as I could see the gears turning in his head. He just shrugged, walking into the house with a joking smirk.
"Take off your dress," He joked again, as he moved towards the back of the house, looking for something specific. "While I get the First-aid kit."
This time, even though I knew he was joking, I gave a full on glare in his direction. He seemed to see it in the corner of his eye though, as Joseph turned to me with widened eyes. He clearly didn't expect this sort of reaction out of me, as I set up a ground rule.
"Don't make fun of my tunic," I told him seriously, limping in and closing the door behind me as I did. "Or my hat."
"Yeesh," Joseph said with a flinch, as I realized how sharp my glare actually was when he took a step back. I softened up a bit, making my way to the living room to sit just as he had asked me. "Touched a nerve, huh?"
I only gave a nod, as I found a wooden chair, avoiding the fabric ones in case of any bleeding. Less comfortable, but easier to clean
"Well," Joseph began to say out of sight, while I simply took a seat and relaxed my aching and injured body. "Since we're sharing, mind telling me why? You don't seem the type to take things like jokes personally, so this has actually got me curious."
I had to raise a brow at that, as Joseph and I barely knew one another. Though this wouldn't be the first time people had called me easy to read.
"The green tunic is part of many important legends from my hometown," I began to explain, as I began to take the first layer of my tunic off. It was difficult with a broken arm and bullet holes in my torso, as well as painful, but I grit my tenth and bore with it. "Which speak of a Hero in green who saved our lives countless times."
"Really?" Joseph asked as he stepped into view with a red bag with a cross on it, as I began to work on taking off my chainmail. "Legends like things you tell your children so they're good, or legends like a religion?"
"Neither," I spoke through gritted teeth, as I set the chainmail to the side, finally getting to the layer with buttons. But as I thought about it slowly, I realized I was mistaken. "Well… both actually."
"Both?" Joseph began, as he set down the bag and opened it up, taking out a roll of bandages and a bottle. "Your Hero must be one important guy. What did he do?"
"Too many things to count." I told him honestly, taking off my third layer and resting in the wooden chair. "One of the more famous stories says he stopped the… a piece of the moon from crashing and destroying the world."
Joseph gave a low impressed whistle, as he grabbed a pair of scissors and cut off the bandages he had wrapped around me. I knew he was whistling at the hero's achievement, but I couldn't help but think he was looking at my many scars as he did that. "So, are you considered his successor than? Is that why you're wearing a tunic like his? Got some pretty big shoes to fill if that's the case…"
Well… he's not completely wrong. I was given this tunic the minute I decided to protect Zelda by Impa, and had done similar tasks to that of the other Heroes. But to be considered a successor…
That isn't… exactly correct…
"The Hero earns his title." I told him honestly, hissing when he checked the two large wounds on my torso. One that ate though my side, the other pierced just an inch under my ribs, missing the important organs. "Anyone could wear a similar tunic, but only those that prove themselves are gifted the Spirit of the Hero by the Goddesses. Only then can they truly call themselves a Hero of the Gods."
Joseph paused for a second, before continuing to check my wounds with a critical eye. "I can see why you were mad then… seems like a pretty impressive story."
I raised a brow at the word 'story', as I had to remind myself of the situation once again. This wasn't Hyrule, the Kingdom saved countless times by a Hero in green. Here, it was just another story about a hero to save the world.
"Your gunshot wounds are healing well," Joseph told me as he stood, grabbing something from the bag and giving it to me. "Your ribs are good too. It'll take a while, but you should be up and about with minimal pain in as little as a month and a half. Your arm will still be broken, but legs will be completely healed. Take this for your pain."
"A month and a half…" I said to myself quietly, looking down at a pill Joseph had placed in my hand. "That's…"
"Ridiculous?" Joseph interrupted as he put everything away, sealing the bag and taking it back where it belonged. "Incredible? Not physically possible?"
I laughed at his joke, even though the pain in my ribs spread through my body…
And worry seemed to fill me to the brim, as thoughts of Zelda filled my head.
A month and a half… without aid…. Alone… Hunted without even knowing it…
I resisted the urge to ask Joseph how I could search for Zelda, bitting my tongue to stop myself.
I wanted to search for Zelda, no, needed to search for her. She was in constant danger, and she barely knew it. The Grimm I knew she could handle without a doubt, since she had the Arrows of Light.
But the people…
If I went to search for Zelda, who else would suddenly know I was searching for her? I knew that Raven wanted this power so badly that she killed one of her own companions to do it. If she was searching for me, and found out that I was looking for Zelda, wouldn't Raven go after Zelda to get to me? Wouldn't she figure out that Zelda was a magic user too? Wouldn't she…
Wouldn't Raven kill her to take her power?
That's not even bringing up the rest of the world.
How many people knew about Magic? How many people wanted such power, willing to do anything to get it? In fact, there was someone Raven was scared of too…
Salem… the equivalent of Ganondorf in this world, who could control the demons that walk this earth. How many mages had she killed? How much power did she have to control such evil?
Was she looking for another mage to kill?
I stood up, slowly putting my clothes on while trying not reopen my wounds.
No, that wasn't an option. Above all else, I couldn't risk Zelda's safety, even if it is to search for her.
Which only left…
I sighed, even though it really hurt my ribs to do so, as I put the final piece of my tunic back on. Guilt weighed on me heavily, as the only thing I could do in this situation pulled at my stomach. The world hadn't left me with any easy decisions, none whatsoever. But still…
I had hoped I could've come up with something else.
I couldn't search for Zelda, that was practically made fact at this point. I couldn't leave because if Zelda was here, then I would miss her and take even longer to find her. I couldn't hire someone else to find Zelda, because they might try to kill her and take her power.
But what I could do was… it was dangerous to me, and dangerous to everyone around me…
But… I had to risk it...
This was something I had to do.
I went up the stairs and grabbed my sword, just as Joseph turned on the magic box, and relaxed in his chair. All while I relaxed in the guest room, my sword on my lap as I focused, imagining an opponent.
Despite the danger this plan had on me though, I swore an oath…
I found myself in my mind, an opponent standing across me covered in shadow. His form familiar, his face even more so...
I swore to protect the family that saved my life…
All too soon, our blades ceremoniously crossed, showing that the both of us were ready…
To find Zelda and not place her in any danger…
We prepared, ready to face each other in my mind, the training taught to me by Impa ready to begin…
And I swore…
As I faced myself in my mind, my body not even shifting in real life.
To be a Hero to the country of Mistral, to fight for what I believe in….
And make myself a target for the entire world to see, one big enough for Zelda to find.
Mistral
He was unbelievably bored.
He yawned into the dead of night, nothing to accompany him other than the stars. The chill wind was biting through his thick clothes, specially selected to avoid feeling that chill.
Not that he cared anymore. He's been doing this for over five years now, from the dead of winter to the heat of summer. He was all but used to this sort of feeling, the feeling of wanting warmth but ignoring it.
What was he doing? Well, he was the lookout for the entirety of Mistral.
He looked down from his five by five nest in the thirty foot tower on top of a twenty foot wall, his owl eyes seeing almost every detail from so far away.
In fact, the entire valley was his to see. From the top of the mountains to lowest points of this half of the valley. Behind him was the tall mountain of Mistral, named by the man who created this Kingdom and discovered this valley. The lights cast a sort of shadow across the valley, giving the human guards the chance to see without much work.
He yawned again as nothing seemed to jump out at him, the barest of movements coming only the other guards on the wall below. But that was fine, as no movement meant no Grimm.
No Grimm meant a safe Kingdom, and thus a big paycheck.
Another chill wind blew, as he wrapped himself up more in the blanket he had snuck in. Next to him was a pair of night vision binoculars that came with the job, dusty with a lack of use.
Despite the warm blanket though, he wasn't tempted to sleep. He had always been a night owl, better at night than he could ever be in the day. So, even though this job was boring, it was perfect for him.
But… well it's been a little… interesting for the past week.
His experience was nothing to scoff at. Most people took this job and quickly changed because they couldn't handle it. It's why he got a fat paycheck compared to everybody else, as he doubted they could find someone willing to do his job.
And his experience was telling him that something had changed.
Grimm were learning creatures, beings that actually took something from every failure they encountered. It's why, even though they were monstrous and stupid in every way, they couldn't be considered dumb.
In fact, they were smart enough to have ranks.
He could see them out in the distance sometimes, moving together, plotting to take on the Kingdoms. It was in their nature, their very being, to come and destroy humans and faunus, everything we stood for. They destroyed everything in their way without a care, insatiable and unending.
But the more they roamed around the Kingdom, the smarter they seemed. A big Grimm always led them around, calling the shots, while simultaneously teaching the smaller ones the way.
It was downright disturbing to see the similarities between them and the training he himself went through. The more experienced worker teaching the clueless how to do their job.
Anyway, they were always prowling, searching for a way to enter the Kingdom. Their hunger for negative emotions and the very act of destroying the only thing they all had in common. Oftentimes, when they couldn't take a Kingdom they would take one of the settlements. It was why we passed a law for our sister settlements to carry weapons on them in case of a Grimm attack. In fact, it was law for them to have at least one firearm and one bladed weapon that could be used.
And that was what was interesting. Not the fact that the Grimm attacked settlements…
But rather the lack of attacks on one of the settlements.
He took another glance at one of the four settlements of Mistral, about two miles out. From here it looked like a village pressed up against a mountain, farms and such in the center. It was placed opposite of the low mountains to the east, letting their farm haven the longest amount of sun in the valley.
He squinted, trying to see the movement of Grimm, anything that would tell him something. He sighed though when he failed, grabbing and dusting off the binoculars as best he could.
Three whole years without needing them… that had to be a record. Maybe they'll put him on a wall of fame?
Adjusting them as best I could, it wasn't hard to find what he was looking for. Combined with his owl eyes, it was easy to see the shifting black forms of the valley. There was no natural cover, the entire valley had hills and caves, but no trees to hide in.
And they all made a wide berth around the village, actively avoiding the border of the town. Completely different from a week ago, when they were poking at the borders looking for a way in. Or at least, that was what the reports he had overheard from the other guards said.
He looked around a little more, trying to find some other examples of such a thing. This was the most interested he has been in months. The only other time he was ever invested in his job was when-
A dull flash of light filled my vision, as the black form I was following disappeared within seconds.
I felt a wide grin stretch across my face, as I zoomed out a bit, watching the show as it played out. And what a show it was.
A figure in green, matching the grass that surrounded him, was ducking it out with an incredible number of Grimm. Well, fighting was putting it lightly.
The dude was slaughtering them.
One slash and two to three Grimm were destroyed without a second thought. On step was another Grimm killed, a flick of the wrist was enough to separate the Grimm from grouping up and attacking him. It was like watching one of those superhero movies my nephew watched in real life, only without the popcorn.
And to top it off, the fearful abominations of nature that man feared for as long as we could remember, were scared.
He watched as they all tried to run, but the man- the Huntsman wouldn't let them. He simply moved towards them, as they suddenly crumpled like a sheet of paper, slowly dissapearing into nothing.
This guy…
Over the past five years, the best part of my job was the ability to see Huntsmen and Huntresses fight the Grimm. It was his own personal Vytal Festival, only with higher and more realistic stakes. His eyes could see a lot, and they watched their fights, the academy's training grounds to fight Grimm. They had seen up and coming Huntsmen make a name for themselves, and battle that people wished they could see.
But this guy…
He was a monster compared to them.
As more and more Grimm showed up, they were killed without so much as a glance. The more they piled up, the faster they died. The longer they took, they died slower but filled with more pain. The stronger they were, the harder they fell.
This guy… this guys a one man army…
Eventually, the Grimm gave up and ran into the caves, ending my entertainment and the guys hunt. He must've fought an army's worth, but there didn't seem to be a scratch on him…
He must be a First Class Huntsman. The best of the best, the right hands of the Headmasters, capable of defeating a team of Pros, and normal Huntsmen with a glance.
It didn't seem that made him smart though…
He stood up from his chair, wondering what was going through this guy's mind as the Huntsman walked straight into the cave.
"What are you doing?!" He said out loud while pulling out his scroll, calling one of the numbers he had on speed dial. Some of the guards below me looked up, but I didn't give a damn about them.
Didn't this guy know the caves were a death sentence?! That's where every Grimm in Mistral hid from the Kingdom's Huntsmen and Huntresses! Hundreds of Grimm, some as old as the Kingdom itself, made the extensive cave system their home! You can't just walk in!
"Hello, this is the Mistral Huntmen Center. How can I-" He heard someone on the other end of the scroll, but interrupted them and tried to speak as fast as possible.
"This is Mistral Watchtower's Officer Heinkel," He began quickly, hoping he was in time to save that man's life. "I need you to call back the First-Class Huntsman you have stationed in the Valley! Repeat, call back the First-Class Huntsman you have stationed in the valley! He's just entered the Scarlet Caves!"
He heard the other end of the line suddenly explode in movement, as he brought the binoculars back to his eyes. He could hear the other guards below him shift, as they tried to see what I could.
For the next few minutes he watched, trying to see if the Huntsman made it out in time. As those minutes stretched on though, he could feel his heart ache in guilt…
He was too late. The caves had blocked the signal, and the Huntsman had wandered further in…
It would take a miracle for him to come out alive…
But… perhaps that is what Heinkel had witnessed that night.
"Who is this?!" An angry voice called out in his nest, as he jumped a little in shock. Heinkel, looking down at the source of the voice, could only raise an eyebrow.
It was his scroll.
"Well, whoever you are, this isn't funny! This job is stressful enough as it is without assholes like you in the world!"
"What are yo-" Heinkel tried to say, bringing his scroll to his ear…
As he swore he saw the entrance to the cave shake.
"Don't play dumb with me, jackass! First-Class Huntsman, huh?! Think you're pretty smart, don't you?!"
The voice went in one ear and out the other though, as he searched through his binoculars. He watched as the whole valley seemed to shake lightly, as hundreds of birds flew out of the Valley…
"News flash, asshat! There aren't any Huntsmen on duty! The last of them just punched out an hour ago! God, giving me a heart attack for nothing, you moth-!"
He didn't even register what he said though, as the man on the other end hung up…
While all Hell broke loose.
Hundreds of Grimm rushed out of the thin opening of the Scarlet Caves, all of them trampling over one another. They rocked the earth, running away in fear…
As a familiar figure in green followed them, swinging his sword at everything that moved.
The guards below were already on the move, taking immediate action to tighten security. Guns were at the ready, prepared for anything that would come to attack the Kingdom's walls.
But Heinkel knew differently…
He watched as the man in green, the Rogue Huntsman, fought them all, his blade shining in the moonless night…
He watched as every Grimm that came out of the cave tried to fight him off, hoping to end that Rogue Huntsman where he stood. He watched as they clawed and bit at him, hoping something would land…
He watched as the Hero killed every single one of them in battle…
He watched as the dust settled…
And watched as the Hero wandered across the Kingdom, searching for the ones he missed.
Heinkel watched for hours, his heart racing and any complaint about the chill leaving his mind. His mind was numb, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He followed that man as he killed every single Grimm he came across in the valley…
Until eventually, his shift was over. He was to go home, and sit on what he had witnessed…
The next day, they reported an earthquake had shook the valley… No one had seen otherwise, for in the dead of night only he could see that well…
But he knew…
He knew that there was a Rogue Huntsmen out there, one that even the Grimm were scared of. He knew that he could kill five Grimm with a swing of his blade. He knew that the Grimm ran scared when they saw his green clothes, and layed down to die when they caught a glimpse of his blade…
He spread rumors, he told anyone that would listen. They needed to know about what he had seen, needed to know the truth…
They needed to know that there was a Hero in the Kingdom of Mistral…
He recalled stories his father told him, about Huntsmen and Huntresses from long ago who didn't listen to the Kingdoms. They followed their own code, did what they felt was right, and died as warriors remembered for eternity.
He called them Wanderers… heroes of a bygone era… Those who drifted from settlement to settlement, accepting missions they felt needed to be taken… A Huntsman without a Headmaster to tell him right from wrong…
That night, he constantly kept watch at his post, vigilant of his half of the valley.
But he wasn't looking for Grimm. No, they would be taken care of, destroyed before they even thought about reaching the walls.
No… he was searching for the Hero he had seen just last night…
Searching for the Wanderer of Mistral...
"Hard choices are the decisions that show a man's true colors…"
Next Time on "A Hero's Dream"!
"M.A.D"!