A Hero's Dream

by TwinGamers011701

The Hero of Hyrule, and The Princess of Destiny. The paragons of the Hylian race, with the powers of Courage and Wisdom at their side. Together, they were capable of combating any enemy, even the Power of the King of Evil. But when said King calls upon the powers of the Triforce by mistake, with a wish that was never truly desired, how will the two handle the new dangers ahead? AU

11. The Guardian

Hello everyone, and welcome to another chapter of…

"A Hero's Dream"!

With nothing else to talk about, on to the reviews, and then the story!

Silverhawk88: Oh, she is stepping up this chapter! She is completely awake now, and ready to get the ball rolling!

BlackSands144: Ohohoh, you have no idea. That is going to be FUN!

Gojosin: Exactly! Ganondorf was COMPLETELY fooled by Sheik, so Cinder has NO CHANCE IN HELL of seeing through it.

Bloodhunter101: Well here's the next one for your viewing pleasure.

Virgomiguel1992: Glad you enjoyed it, have another chapter to enjoy!

NotXeno: Thank you for the praise, hope you enjoy this chapter.

darkmist111: Incredibly fun thought process! It would be enjoyable to watch them just try to catch Zelda when she can teleport. It would be annoying as hell.

Alexkellar: Hello again Alex, your work is just as good too. And yes, Timothy did put up a really good fight, all the way to the very end. Remember, even if he was retired, he was a fully trained Huntsman at one point, so he was well trained and also powerful in his own right. You'll figure out later about the damage, but other than that, I'm glad you liked it! The whole thing with Cinder's eye would've been great, I preferred the whole piss her off route.

Timsonshay: I thank you again for your criticism, and your right too. I'll defend some other things, but Zelda figuring that Cinder wasn't top dog was bullshit. So, after reading your comment, I decided to update that chapter. Most of what you feel might go too far is still there, but Zelda now has NO idea about Salem. Plus, it's just more interesting to have Zelda fight against Cinder as if she WAS the Big Bad for a while. So, again, thank you for your criticism.

Gojiradon: Unfortunately, I have it planned to be a while. I thought I would have the readers get to know them by themselves before they knew each other together. But don't worry, just because they won't reunite doesn't mean they won't have contact. Just wait and see….

Guest: Thank you so much for your critique. I didn't think it was that much of a problem at first, but after you and another reviewer kept bringing it up, I went back and saw exactly what you mean. I will defend Zelda, if only because she has the Triforce of Wisdom, but Raven I can't defend. I'll try to keep a better eye out for the rest of the fix, so again, thank you for your criticism.

Jctherebel: Well here's another chapter. Hope your excited, cause this ones a doozy!

With that, let's get on to the story.

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File Loaded.

Choose Your Character!

Link

—[Zelda]

Continue?

—[Yes]

No

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Chapter 10: The Guardian

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If you wanted to overthrow a secret plot that no one was aware of, where would you start?

That was the question that had plagued my mind after the library went up in flames. Where to begin?

The answer was simpler than I had thought.

First, you must work your way up the ladder.

I breathed a silent sigh, watching the warm air escape my mask wrap and become visible in the chill autumn air. Currently, I was standing in the residential district of Vale, on top of the roof of a quaint house. It was close to ten at night, and the streets were empty of any people or cars.

I looked down at the streets, searching for the signs that the information I had received was right. It was cloudy, the moon covered by a passing cloud left the world dark. Yet, in the distance, the green glow of the CCT was prominent in the dim of the night.

But I had no problem seeing. My eyes had already adjusted to the dark, letting me see the small shifts and lights in the night. Even 15 feet in the air, I was able to see everything clearly, with no exception.

It was how I noticed a man walking down the street late at night, nervously looking over his shoulder that was wrapped completely in bandages.

I gazed upon him from on high, watching his moves like a hawk. He was down the street, a ways away, holding a bag that was held on his uninjured shoulder. Despite that, he was wincing from his injuries, as every move that he made aggravated his wound.

Or should I say, the burn on his shoulder.

As he got closer, I could make out more details, as light reflected off of the scales on his skin. His eyes kept shifting nervously, looking for a sign of anyone on the street. His steps were just as quick, hitting the pavement with a loud thud, as he didn't even try to hide the sound.

But his bag interested me the most. If that's what I thought it was, then it would be the first step to finding the ones who planned to kill me.

He approached one of the houses, pulling out his keys with shaking hands. I knew why he was nervous, the answer was obvious to me.

He had heard about his friends. The four who had suffered similar burns to him last Friday, in a dust store they were robbing. The burns I had placed on them before they, like Roman Torchwick, had run away in fear.

He was afraid. Not of the one who burned him, but the one who was slowly climbing up the ranks, aiming higher each time.

He was afraid of the person I was currently, the warrior of the night, hunting them. The warrior that, to his knowledge, was making his friends disappear off the face of Remnant.

The one who had received interesting information from one of his friends.

As he attempted to turn the key in the lock, I decided that was where I would intervene. Stepping off of the roof of the house, I felt the rush of wind meet my ears. It was a large drop, but that didn't matter to me at the moment, as I landed on the ground in complete silence.

The man must've felt something though, as he stopped trying to turn the key, I could see the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. I watched closely as he went for something at his waistband, trying to be inconspicuous.

I simply grabbed a needle from the pouch at my side, throwing the weapon with pinpoint accuracy at the space between his hand and the gun.

He flinched and did nothing else, too scared to move as he felt my eyes on him. Sweat was pouring down his back, even as goosebumps covered his skin due to the chill.

Even still, I said nothing, simply letting my presence bore into his mind as he shook. The rumors, everything he had heard about his friends who were nowhere to be found, as his mind created a much larger threat.

"I-I don't have anything…" The man spoke as he shook, trying to create a forced calm in his voice. "Th-they knew just as much as I did… I don't have anything you want."

He said this in hopes I would leave him be, skip over him for some higher target. He lied in hopes that I spared him from the supposed fate of his comrades.

But still, my red eyes bore deep into him, as the man shook faster. He could feel them, the eyes of the Sheikah, the shadow of the Hylian Royal Family. He could feel the eyes that kept the secrets of the family for generations, that executed their word as law.

I let my hand reach behind my back, taking the small knife in its sheath out slowly, letting the scraps and scratches of metal on wood chill him to the bone. He flinched and shook more, but didn't move a muscle, his legs paralyzed in fear.

Before he could even blink, I swung my tanto down, the air separating before it's edge in a satisfying sound. He flinched once again, and gave a small shriek as he listened to something tear with perfect clarity.

But, rather than him, I was aiming for the bag he was holding.

The seam split with a wicked sound, as the contents of the bag spilled out. As soon as they did, the man went incredibly pale, as if his heart had stopped beating completely.

Masks. That was what was in the bag. White Fang Masks, made for new initiates for the upcoming initiation.

Where all the members of the Fang, as well as those who work with the Fang would be.

Before he could speak a word, my tanto was already at his throat, cutting into his Aura with precision. The man didn't move, as I spoke the first time this night.

"Where were you taking these?" I asked him, my voice calm and deeper than it normally was, muffled by the mask I wore. In fact, it was a completely different voice, one that forced the man to shiver, as the sweat kept pouring down his skin.

"T-they- I-." The man tried to speak, as fear made his throat close up. With a simple twist of my wrist though, he was already talking. "To the Industrial District, t-the only hangar with the three claw marks at 7:00 tomorrow! W-we're holding the initiation there!"

I let that information soak in for a bit, allowing my mind to memorize the description. Then, with my left hand free, I reached for the keys that were in the lock…

And twisted them, unlocking the door..

As the door crept open, the both of us beared witness to a scene of my own creation.

Inside was a well lit room, that was as cold as it could be in the fall. No warmth was given, and the four members of the Fang inside knew that for a fact. Each of them tied to a chair, covered in razor wire, and wearing the uniforms they were so proud of.

They tried to speak, attempting to say anything that could get them out of this situation. But they were gagged, unable to say anything, and unable to move lest they were cut to ribbons. They could do nothing but shake in fear, as the unbound man in front me stood transfixed and speechless.

I felt the weight of guilt and pity press on my heart as I looked at them, feeling the regret for such a drastic tactic. But I crushed that guilt, not letting it show on my face. I didn't have the luxury to feel this way, not in this form.

This form was not Zelda, not someone who could pity his enemies. This form was not someone kind, but someone who told things as they were, not as they wished to be. A guiding soul, who spoke poetically and with purpose, doing the best he could for the greater good.

This form-...

I am this form. Not Zelda.

"Deliver these masks." I told him simply, my tone cold and unmoving, as I could practically feel the chill I forced down his spine. "Tell no one of this, and you may safely retrieve your brothers and sisters in arms."

"Y-you bastard…" The man whispered out, trying to force himself to move, do anything he could to resist. "How could you do this? We're only trying to…"

To that I raised an eyebrow, as Sh-... as I spoke.

"You speak as though you and I are different," I told him simply, as the clouds began to part, letting the light of the shattered moon sink down to the earth. "and in the end, we are… but that does not leave you moral and just."

The light was slowly crawling my way, but that didn't matter to me, not at the moment. I closed the door, locked it and took the key…

But not without letting him take a glimpse of the creature inside, its blade ready to kill at my command.

"This is the same decision you had given citizens only a week ago…" I told him, his form frozen as his mind tried to understand what he had seen. "Perhaps now, as you reflect upon the actions I have mirrored, you may feel the terror you had gifted others for so long."

He did not speak, could not even open his mouth to reply or defend himself from my words. He tried as hard as he could to resist though, as the moonlight finally crept up on him. As if a signal for his bravery, he finally grabbed the weapon at his waistband, and turned around...

But no one was there.

I watched silently from above as he dropped his weapon, his legs melting and forcing him to fall to the ground. He was breathing heavily, his mind no doubt going a mile a minute, as he reflected on what happened. His sweat covered the pavement, as he turned to the door, his eyes wide and full of fear.

He reached for the door knob, knowing exactly what was behind it. No doubt could hear them struggle and scream, telling him to rescue them. But, at the last moment…

He pulled his hand away.

Without a word, he got up and ran as fast as could, holding the bag of masks to his chest like it was his last hope.

And still, without a word, I watched as he ran.

I gave a sigh, standing under the moonlight, the shadow beneath me still as a pond. As the man left, I ordered the being within the room disappear, it's presence unnecessary now that it has fulfilled its purpose. I could feel it cease to exist, going up in a puff of purple smoke without a word.

Still, I didn't move, my thoughts shuffling around in my head with this new information.

For whatever reason, the Fang was working under Roman Torchwick, the thief responsible for stealing Dust from hundreds of stores across Vale. Though their goals have always been equality through fear, they have aligned themselves with Torchwick, stealing for him even.

Question was, why?

Roman worked for the Demon. This was a fact, as it was him who informed the unholy being of my presence. It would make sense if it was just the Fang stealing Dust, as they were a militia group, and would need equipment for their campaigns and weapons. But Roman?

Roman was a thief that stole as a living. He's been around Vale for years, stealing gems and cash for his own purposes, fighting off police and Huntsmen alike every time. He only worked with disposable grunts for big jobs, and a mysterious partner by the name of Neopolitan. That is, if the police reports I had stolen were accurate.

But now, out of nowhere, he was stealing Dust? A common place material that had no value on the black market? The police were wondering what he was thinking, as this went against everything they knew about him.

But I knew differently. Roman wasn't stealing for himself, rather, he's likely been forced to do it by the Demon.

So, why was it stealing Dust? Was the creature planning something with it, and if so, what? Why go through all this trouble, what was its end game?

Why go after me, and risk it all?

I sat down on the edge of the roof, letting my legs relax as I attempted to contemplate the demons actions.

It was clear the Demon wished to remain anonymous, a figure in the background. Why else would it force Roman to steal for her, when it had plenty of power to do this itself?

So, why go after me?

It wants your power. Your magic.

But to risk it all for it? It could've been exposed, it's plan ruined, all for my power?

Perhaps that's just how it is. It's very being wants power, so it sought the power it could take.

It wants power… then was that what it was after? Is that it's plan? What kind of power did it want?

…

A dead end, huh?

I sighed again, my mind clear as I had already decided my course of action, as the moon was covered once again by a passing cloud.

There was much I didn't know. Too much in fact, to even attempt to stop this from happening, and affecting me and Link. Whatever this creature was, it was after me.

And if it was after me, it likely wouldn't rest until my power was its power. Something I would never let happen.

I need more information. If I needed to kill this creature before it was a problem, or plan something to stop it from interfering with my goals, I needed to know what it was planning. And to do that…

I needed to climb higher up the ladder.

Without barely a thought, I teleported away, as reality shifted into my temporary safe haven. Planning and preparing for the inevitable confrontation.

---

I landed silently on top of one of the roofs on one of the many hangars that existed in the Industrial District of Vale at 6:30. A district of Vale meant for the trade and shipping of Dust, Vehicles, and many other man made products.

Standing silently in the clear night sky, I looked out the many buildings and alleys w that littered the empty streets, attempting to find the one I was looking for. However, many of these were too similar to differentiate, and were impossible to tell apart.

I looked closer, trying to find the one marked by three scratch, but I couldn't find it no matter how hard I looked.

Likely, it was too small to find unless you were looking for it. It was also something that couldn't be found unless you were on the ground, searching for it yourself.

With a flash, I moved to the next hangar, attempting to find the three scratch marks from above. Yet, after ten minutes of searching, it proved to be a fruitless effort. I decided it was about time to change my form and look for the mark on the ground, when…

"Are you sure about this?"

It was after I had teleported silently for the thirteenth time that night, attempting to find the White Fang initiation. Already I was frustrated, trying my hardest to find the initiation, and wondering if that Faunus gave me false intel. Yet, that frustration disappeared when I heard the voice of a woman, quiet and filled with hesitation.

"Of course I'm sure. This is the place."

It was accompanied by a confident male voice, only a few rows away from the hangar I was currently standing on. My eyes narrowed with interest, as I quickly followed the noise, trying to locate the two who were speaking. It didn't take long to find them though, as they continued their conversation, the girl trying to stop him.

"Not that," The girl continued, as I instantly appeared on top of a different hangar, overlooking the two Faunus. Currently, they were walking in the shadows of the light, avoiding revealing their faces in an attempt to hide their identities. "Are you… are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Yes," The boy answered without hesitation, not even turning to look at the girl behind him. "I'm sure."

"But," The girl continued, trying to think of something to say, slowing down as she spoke. "This is…"

I teleported to the next hangar, following the two as they made their way through the yard, almost smiling at my own good fortune. These two seemed to be some of the new initiates to the Fang. Why else would two Faunus be here, in the middle of the night, looking for something in the dark?

Though, it seemed that one of them wasn't willing to go through with it.

"There's nothing we can do about it sis," The boy spoke up, as he turned to his sister, his expression unreadable in the dark. "We tried, but it just isn't working."

"But to go to them…" The girl told her brother, as her voice went up when she referred to the White Fang. "They're the reason we'r-"

"It's cause of Torchwick!" The boy shouted out, as they both flinched, one out of fright and the other in surprise at the volume of his own voice. "Sorry. But it's because of Torchwick, not the Fang that we're stuck homeless. Because he's stealing so much Dust, we couldn't pay any of the new and expensive bills!"

"But, the Fang is…" The girl tried to continue, as the boy merely shook his head, stopping the girl before she could even begin.

"Fake news, sis." The brother began simply, turning around and walking forward, searching for the initiation center. "There's no way that the Fang would ever work with Torchwick… and even if they did, we don't have much of a choice."

"Bu-" The continued, not wanting anything to do with the Fang.

Even if it seemed that they had no choice.

"Face it sis!" He turned around again, angry but keeping his voice down to a hushed whisper. "We have nowhere else to go! We were fired from our jobs because someone thought it was funny to report us as Fang members! We were evicted because we couldn't pay the rent, and now, because of Roman, everyone is too afraid to hire Faunus! We can't even walk down the street without hearing whispers about us and the Fang!"

I lifted a brow at that admission, feeling a piece of white hot fury be released from behind my cool and calm expression. Still… things were starting to make a bit more sense now…

This was why the Demon was using the Fang. Not because they were a convenient tool, but rather a growing tool.

By using Roman to steal the Dust for whatever the Demons ends were, fear was starting to spread. Prices went up, people weren't trusting anyone, and to the indignation of the masses, no one could do anything about it. The Kingdoms had done nothing to their knowledge about Roman, and continued to do nothing.

Introduce the White Fang into the mix, and suddenly, a lot of that distrust was displaced onto the Faunus of the Vale, and maybe even the world. People wouldn't trust them, and they would constantly second guess whether or not the Faunus they hired, lived with, or were even friends with were causing their own problems.

And because of that, Faunus were being looked down on and treated horribly, all due to the Fang and Romans actions. Feeling this, many Faunus would blindly flock to the Fang, not only because of the things that, in their minds, needed to change but also to support themselves.

As a militia group, the White Fang would need to be able to fend for themselves, feed their troops, and give them shelter. Though I was unsure about how they were doing it and where, the Fang likely had a hideout for this very purpose. The members couldn't always go too and from their house and to the Fang, because they would be discovered easily, and weren't powerful enough to be so brazen with their headquarters. Rather, joining the Fang was more like joining the military rather than working at a job.

Which meant they were given food, lodging, safety, and no need to pay for it so long as they followed the Fang. A tactic, which not only effectively brought in recruits from poorer districts, but promoted blind faith within the factions.

This was no longer a militia group.

This was a cult, creating oppression to promote their own anti-human beliefs.

I had to hold back my growing disgust, continuing to remain in the shadows above the two Faunus siblings. Was this the plan of that demon? To bring in more man power? To what end? What was that creature plotting?

"But to join them?!" The sister began in a hush whisper that matched her brothers, as I brought myself back into the conversation. "They're the reason this is happening to us!"

"No, it's the Academy's and the Council!" The brother retorted, getting in his sister's face, his anger boiling over his reasoning. "If they would just… do something, we wouldn't have to make this choice! We could still be living our lives, away from the fighting!"

"But we can't!" The brother continued, as the sister took a step back, frightened at her brothers anger. "We can't do anything but sit in the streets and starve! Because of them, because they couldn't get off their asses to help us, and not even attempt to stop Roman, we're suffering! Not them, us! So, unless you wanna slowly starve to death, we have no choice!"

There was a tense silence, as the two stared at one another, an invisible battle of wills happening between them. It stretched on for a while, as I merely watched the two from above…

Until the sister finally turned around, and began to walk away.

"Wha-" The brother started suddenly, as he watched her walk away. "What are y- where are you going!?"

"I'm not joining the Fang," the sister spoke up, her voice tight as she froze with her back to him. "It's… it isn't the place for me, and never will be. If… if you feel it's right, I won't stop you. But… I just hope that you make the right choice."

Without another word, she walked away disappearing into the darkness, as her brother just stood there, conflicted. He stared after her, as if in a vain hope that she will turn around.

But she didn't.

The boy didn't say anything, continuing to stare after his sister, no doubt his mind full of questions of what to do. Before long though, more Faunus came into the ship yard, as the brother was slowly swept up in the stream of new recruits. He was pulled along, as they assumed to know what he was here for…

Yet he still stared after the direction his sister went, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl.

I watched from above, a glare present on my face as over thirty Faunus funneled into the Industrial district, each coming from different directions. They searched as I did, looking for the hangar the initiation was being held.

Even if it was disgusting, it seemed that the Demon was correct. Their manpower was increasing, and nobody was any wiser. Yet, what was the Demon planning that needed this much man power?

Hopefully, that is exactly what I will be discovering.

With that, I continued to watch the Faunus as they entered into one of the buildings through an alley way, a White Fang member standing guard deep in the shadows. As each of them made their way in, they were handed a white mask, one that completely covered one's face from the mouth up.

As they entered, reality started to shift, as I teleported to the top of that hangar, landing without a sound. Then, carefully climbing down the side of the building, I searched for an entry point where I could sneak in.

However, from what I could find, there was only one window, and it wasn't meant to be opened. But this was enough, as I only needed to see some on the inside to start breaking in.

So, I scanned the inside of the building, which was tall, dark, and empty save for the members of the Fang and something underneath a tarp with the Fang symbol on it. The groups were still gathering together, lining up as newcomers and people already recruited. All together, over a hundred people were being squeezed into this building, all of them wearing white masks. It wasn't completely dark though, as many of the lights were dimly lit, allowing the people to see clearly.

Without a word, I pulled out something I had created myself from the pouch, feeling their weight in my hands. Taking a second, making sure I couldn't be seen from the window, I tested the two objects in my hand real quick, to be sure they would work.

Slowly filtering my magical energy in my hands, I watched as the two pegs in my hand drank it up, as the black crystals on the ends started to become heavier and heavier.

But they weren't pulling me down. Rather, they were trying to 'fall' sideways.

Gently placing them on the wall, I rested my feet on top of them, starting to stand on them as time went on. Letting go of the edge of the roof, the pegs were still standing, even as my full weight was pressing down on them. I stomped my foot on one of them, trying to force it down, even though it wouldn't budge an inch.

Useful. A bit of Gravity Dust with Earth Dust, and suddenly things start falling in different directions. Perhaps I should incorporate this into a weapon when I had the time.

Without a word, I slowly drained my magic from the Dust Crystals, letting them slowly respond to gravity normally. Then, holding onto the roof, I grabbed onto the pegs and made my way back to the window. Checking to see the best areas to remain hidden, I found a spot directly over the entrance, hidden in the shadows. Though the Faunus could see in the dark, their attention would naturally be on the stage pointed away from the entrance, meaning I would be safe from detection if I stayed quiet. Even the Guards wouldn't look above them, as they were placed on the highest floor they could scout from.

Concentrating on a single point, I felt reality shift once again, as I was sudden gripping the wall I had been looking at. Moving quickly before gravity could affect me, I once again filled my creations with magic, allowing the Dust to activate. Without a sound, the pegs were attached to the wall, as close to the roof as they could get. Pulling myself without even a grunt of effort, I sat on the pegs and waited, surveying the area to the best of my abilities.

All as more and more Faunus filled in, slowly joining the ranks next to the ones who had already been inducted. From here I could see everything, from the four guards below me, to the initates that slowly filed in. My mind wandered, wondering if they too had nowhere else to go but the Fang, the very people who created their misfortune. I wondered if the members knew what they were doing, questioning their methods and motives just as the world did.

I wondered if they were truly a part of this, or merely dragged into it by the creature that tore an innocent soul in half.

But these were the thoughts of me, Zelda. They could not be the thoughts of the form I took, no matter how much I wanted to interfere. All that mattered to this form was obtaining the information that was required of me, the information of their plans…

…No…

Even he-even I wondered what the Princess thought, our minds reflecting one another in this moment…

This… this was a complicated problem. The Faunus flocked to the Fang for a problem created by their allies, unaware of their ignorance, or simply wishing to remain as such. They needed support, a light to cling and hold as their own, even if such a thing was merely the shadow of something brilliant.

It was as if they were asleep, walking in search of something to keep them peacefully dreaming…

But they could not remain sleeping…

They needed to wake up, face the problem directly instead of hiding behind the enemy they had no idea was present among them.

There was nothing wrong with fighting the way the world was, and wishing for change. I, as Princess Zelda, knew this better than most.

But to be blinded and led astray, used like a common tool as someone pulled their strings… that was not something this form could allow…

I closed my eyes as I mediated, my mind stilling into a clear reflective pool. Yes, this wasn't something I could tolerate, not even if these Kingdoms themselves were led blindly by the hand.

So perhaps… perhaps I could place more upon my plate, even if my mission was only to gather intel. Perhaps I could guide these sleeping dreamers to the edge of reality, and allow them...

...one final choice.

My eyes opened, their crimson color gleaming as they hadn't before, shining in the dark of this hangar. Filled with the light of purpose of one who was not the Princess, but the only Shadow of the Royal Family in this world.

And as the last of Faunus entered, the door shut and barred anyone from exiting, I could see every man and woman shift. Perhaps they sensed it, the keen blade known as unease placed at their throats, as each took a second glance at the shadows surrounding them.

But that unease slowly withered away, their attention drawn to a man with a tattoo on his arm, who began to speak on the stage.

"Thank you all for coming." The Faunus began, as his voice and accent drew the attention of everyone in the room, like a moth to a flame. All but me, as I simply pulled something out from behind my back, waiting for the right moment. "For those of you who are joining us for the first time tonight, allow me to introduce a very special comrade of ours! I can assure you, he is the key to obtaining what we fought for for so long!"

No sooner did he say that, did the new recruits of the Fang begin to gasp, and even growl at the man who climbed onto the stage.

Or more accurately, the human.

"Thank you, thank you," Roman Torchwick began, undeterred by the many people who were glaring at him, as whispers slowly echoed across the room. He twirled his weapon in his hands with practiced ease, as someone else walked out from behind the sheet covering the object on stage. She was too far away to describe in detail, but her easy to see pink and brown easily revealed her as Neopolitan, Romans partner. "Please, hold your applause!"

I myself was surprised. I was certainly expecting someone high up in this Demon's group, someone who could tell me what I needed to know…

But Roman? This was too good to be true.

If he really was working on the orders of the Demon, then he would know the most out of anyone. He'd know what they were stealing all of this Dust for, he'd know what it was after…

He'd even know the Demon's identity.

Roman Torchwick had everything I needed and more…

So why was he being used as a recruiter?

"What's a human doing here?!" One of the Faunus in the crowd began to say, as many others followed behind. And I couldn't help but agree.

If he really was working for the Demon, and took orders from it directly, why would it use him so flippantly? Didn't he carry important information, information that could destroy it's entire operation?

What if he was caught? Did it really believe he wouldn't rat him out the first chance he got?

Or had it done something to ensure his silence? A spell, a curse, or something else?

"I'm glad you asked, "Deerie"!" Roman called out, taking all of it stride as he spoke to the Fang, new and old recruits alike. "Now, I'll be first to admit, humans… are the worst."

He said this with a smile, as if he wasn't referring to himself and his own race. Despite that, some of the Faunus quieted down to listen, interested in his words, or just waiting for him to insult himself some more.

"Case in point." Roman spoke simply, as he gave a salute to the audience, that grin still on his face. "So, I understand why you would like to see us all locked away, or, better yet, killed!"

To this, everyone began to quiet down, legitimately interested in what the person who caused their grievances had to say. As they did though, I could only glare, looking down at them with a cold gaze.

It didn't matter. Whatever it had placed on him, I would break it and make him speak. By the end of the night, he will reveal everything he knows.

"But, before the claws come out," Roman began to speak, his speech slowly starting, as he finally took on a serious expression. "I'd like to mention the fact that you and I all have a common enemy: the ones in control, the people pulling the strings, the dirty, rotten humans that run our kingdoms!"

As he spoke, many Faunus turned to their brothers and sisters, whispering words of agreement. But he didn't stop there

"Government, military, even the schools: they're all to blame for your lot in life!" He shouted, making sure everyone heard him, as the crowd began to cheer. "And they're all pests that need to be dealt with! Fortunately, I'm the best exterminator around… No offense to any rodents in the room."

With the Faunus on his side, Roman smirked, no doubt feeling that he had accomplished his mission. With a snap of his fingers, the curtain hiding what was next to him on stage was revealed.

And what a sight it was.

Next to him on stage, painted with a White Fang symbol on the shoulder, was a two story mechanized monster. A creature made entirely of metal, standing on two legs, with large weapons placed on what one may call arms. It loomed over the entire gathering like a statue, a chill creeping down my spine as I looked at it.

I felt my glare set further as the Fang cheered, their cry's echoing loudly within the large room. This…

This was further proof that I needed to intervene. If this was given to people who wanted nothing more than to destroy humans, then it would be chaos. Is this what the creature wanted, chaos? That's what this was all about…

No, it likely wasn't.

The creature wanted power, and it was recruiting people who wanted to overthrow the Kingdoms for reasons unfathomable to me. Did it just want the Kingdom…

Or was it just like Hyrule?

Did this creature, like him, want something the Kingdom was protecting and the Kingdom itself? Was that the power it sought? Or….

The Fall Maiden.

I see. The creature did mention this, didn't it? "I wasn't able to extract the full power of Fall.", if I was remembering correctly.

Was that it? Was that the reason it was helping these people? To destroy the Kingdoms and get all the Maidens power?

But what comes after? Why chase this power? Why destroy Kingdoms for it when she clearly had the chance to take all of it? It knew about the Maidens, likely knew about the group of people protecting them, so it would know where to look. Why go through all this trouble of destroying the Kingdoms if it knew where the Maiden was? If it just wanted the Maidens powers, why not sneak in and take it for itself?

Were they protected by something? If so, how was it able to rip a soul out of some girl to take the power? Why couldn't it repeat it's actions with the other three?

No… it tried to.

It tried to take it from me.

Was it a case of convenience, necessity, or merely greed? What purposes did the Maidens serve, to it and to this world? Why did the Maidens need to be protected and kept secret from the world? All these questions and more flowed through my mind, as I kept it all contained in a hope to save these questions for later.

Because these questions didn't mean anything at the moment. What mattered was here and now.

I would leave the matter of the future for later.

So, as Roman continued his speech, I prepared myself and hoped that everything would turn out alright. Reaching to my side, I dipped my fingers in one of the pouches that was filled with air dust, and rubbed them across my finger tips, and prepared.

"As some of you may have heard, this right here…" Roman began to say, as he tapped the giant mechanical creature behind him, smirking as he did. "…is Atlas' newest defense against all the scary things in the world. And thanks to my 'employer', we've managed to snag a few before they, uh, "hit the shelves"."

So he does mention the fact that he is working for someone else… good. Perhaps I can use that to convince these people about what was really going on here.

"Now, many of your brothers have already moved down to our new operation in the southeast. If you'd rather stay within the city, that's fine… But if you're truly ready to fight for what you believe in, this is-"

That was enough. There was no need for the man to continue, and no more words that were necessary for me to hear. So instead…

I spoke my own.

"And what is it that the White Fang believe in?"

And with those words, I took the object in my hands…

And began to play.

Sheik's Theme ~ Ocarina of Time

I closed my eyes as my tune carried out over the crowd, my surroundings slowly disappearing as I sunk myself deeper into the melody. Despite this, I could feel the eyes of many turn and look, as the Air Dust upon my fingers carried the sound of my golden harp farther and louder than usual. A harp that I had transformed to match the legends of the Sheikah I was now.

And as weapons suddenly turned to point at me, and light was shone upon my figure, people saw what could only exist in fairy tales.

What sat there, sitting in what appeared to be mid-air, was the form of one of the most legendary figures in Hyrule. I could see it now in my head, the form that I was taking as it sat there, relaxed while I played the cords on my harp. A navy blue skintight outfit clung to his body with a gray section all across his torso, his entire body covered head-to-toe revealing only powerful muscles underneath. Black belts with golden buckles and loops held pouches at his side, holding weapons and equipment in easy to access areas. His body was protected by nothing but cloth, save for the dark metal pauldrons on each shoulder, and strips of said metal protecting the ribs from any thin knives. A similar metal also covered his shins and the back of his hands, each of them endowed with the same red symbol upon his chest of an eye with a teardrop falling. His face was almost completely covered, a white cloth wrapped around his entire head, leaving only his eyes and the top of his nose completely visible. The only defining feature they could grasp was his pale blonde hair, tightly wrapped into a braid, and held in place by long white strips of cloth, with a steel hair ornament on the end of the braid. His bangs covered his left eye completely, leaving only his right eye completely in view, hinting at the face underneath.

This was who I was.

This was the Survivor of the Sheikah, the musician that aided the Hero of Time in his journey across the ancient land of Hyrule.

This was Legendary Sheikah Warrior.

"Who the hell i-"

"That guy is…"

"Y-you!"

I slowly opened my eyes, continuing to play the song upon my harp, as I looked down at the people below me. They focused on me with rapt attention, even turning their backs on Roman and the giant robot behind them, facing towards me united with curiosity. But one of them was different.

One of them looked up at me in fear, his memories of what transpired last night coming full circle as he shook. I recognized him easily, the scales, the face behind the mask, many things that made his identity clear.

I gazed upon him as I continued to play, acknowledging his presence with a stern but powerful look.

"You can leave now," I told him simply as he dropped his gun, the other guard near my position looking at him as if he had lost his mind. "You've completed your end, now allow me to fill mine."

"What?!" The other guard spoke, as the guard I was gazing at shook further, looking in between the two of us. Then, a light of recognition lit up in his eyes, as it dawned on him what I just did.

He had betrayed the Fang. At least, that was the thought process of the guard he was working with.

"You bastard," The angry guard began, turning his gun on the cowardly guard, not even realizing what he was doing. "You betrayed us after everything we've done for you!"

"Wh- no- I I d-!" The cowardly guard tried to explain, as everyone watched with rapt attention, the excitement once in the air melting away. Instead now…

It was replaced by fear.

"Hey, st-" Roman tried to say, as he shouted up at the guard, seeing everyone watch with wide eyes. Well, only the minority watched, as the Fang members called towards the cowardly guard.

"What?!"

"How dare you!"

"You told a human where we were?!"

Many other cries drowned out Romans own, as he watched the excitement and blind trust melt away in the recruits. They took many steps back, watching as the Fang turned their guns upon one of their own with incredible ease.

Before anything else could happen though, before the cowardly guard could explain his case and what happened…

I jumped down, bringing my heel rocketing down upon the angry guard, while I forced his head into the steel floor with ease.

It was like a bell had rung out across the room, as every person within covered their ears, the sound too loud to handle without any preparation. The walls make it echo, letting the sound bounce off of every corner of the room with incredible clarity.

And yet still, I was playing my harp without missing a beat, waiting and watching for the moment to speak up again.

The man under me was knocked out completely, his head having made a two inch dent in the steel walkway. My heel throbbed in pain, the strike more powerful than I had expected, as my body could barely handle the attack. Luckily, the damage was still halved, as technically I was still wearing my enchanted dress.

"Equality?" I spoke up as the room remained deathly silent, the only sound being the shaking Faunus next to me as he dropped to his knees. "Superiority? Complete social reform? No… not anymore."

The entirety of the room stood silent, only the sound of my song reaching in their ears. They could do nothing but listen as I spoke, still reeling over what had just happened in front of them.

"As you've seen…" I told them simply, as I continued to walk forward as if I hadn't just knocked out a guard. "That has changed. What once was a group of people aiming for change, promoting their beliefs across the world, is now only a tool for death and misery. A tool being controlled and used by the very humans that you had fought to escape."

I watched as the people shifted, as the new recruits looked at one another with wide eyes, unable to believe my words. As they did, many of the Fang spoke out, cursing my name and saying I was lying, that they weren't what they were.

All as Roman stood behind them, a testament to the truth, as signaled for his partner to intervene. With a bow, the ice cream colored girl simply disappeared from her place on stage.

Teleportation?

My instincts went into overdrive, as I sensed my surroundings, looking for anything off. Still though, I wasn't quite done, and continued with speaking to the new recruits.

"A simple lie was all it took." I told them, as the Fang bristled, as they continued to shout louder and louder in an attempt to drown out my words. But everyone could hear me, their enhanced senses making sure that I was heard no matter how hard they tried. "One lie was all it took for them to turn on one another, judgement and reasoning forgotten easily in the call to snuff out another life. These are the people who will save you? Who will aid you where no one else could?"

They shifted once more, as they looked between me and the Fang, their minds no doubt filled with questions without answers.

"Once there was a time for such actions…" I told them simply as I continued to play on my harp, my senses still on alert for anything that could happen. "But that time has passed. What stood as a heroic way to save the people oppressed by the Kingdoms has now become a medium for violence."

I felt something enter my senses from behind, slow heeled steps vibrating across the steel floor like ripples upon a pond. Without another word, I grabbed something from my pouch, throwing it to the floor with a second thought.

As soon as it struck the floor, an incredible light and sound assaulted the senses, blinding and deafening anyone near me. I, on the other hand, covered my eyes with an arm, the cloth around my head blocking any sound from deafening me to that extent.

It happened in an instant, so no one could block it unless they were prepared.

Neopolitan was not prepared.

She fell to the floor with a thump, as the small woman curled into a ball, her eyes shut tightly and her ears covered by her hands. Her umbrella hit the floor as well, the tip sharpened outward into an incredibly sharp piercing weapon.

I, on the other hand, continued to play my harp without a word, as the Fang and recruits looked stunned. Even Roman was lost for words, as his jaw dropped at the sight of me taking down his partner with ease. She would be fine in a minute though. The Deku Nut only worked to stun them, not deafen or blind them permanently.

"Times flow is as cruel as it is swift." I told them as easily as I could, closing my eyes once again as I let the music play. "The hero's that stand today will fall as villains the next, their names fallen into obscurity. Reasons and purpose shift like the desert sand, moving carelessly into the next hand that desperately grasps them in an eternal cycle. Yet, it is only in our hands that these grains of sand are given meaning through how we choose to use them."

The people listened closely, their attention and focus creating an incredible pressure that anyone could feel. Yet still, I continued to speak, unperturbed by their focus.

"To take this step forward is to be subjected to the whims of others. Their outlooks, not yours, will become your place in the world, and how you are remembered. Humans, your brothers, your sisters, they will all come to see you as only the masks you wear, no longer what is underneath. And, as time passes, you too will forget yourselves under this guise."

"So…"

I opened my eyes, turning my full attention towards the recruits, even as the Fang members stood there, unable to do anything but watch as their recruits stared up at me.

"You must choose…"

"To speak of peace is to be met with contest, but is to be remembered well, just as the King of Vale once did. But to become an enemy is to be slain, and be met with blood countless times over. Will you walk that war torn path, and become the very creatures you despise, wreaking havoc as you go? Or will you endure the words of today for the people of tomorrow? Decide, here and now."

"Will you be one who speaks, or one who slays?"

End Sheik's Theme

I stopped playing, letting the last note echo across the hangar, as no one said a word. Perhaps they couldn't, their thoughts preoccupied with what I had said to speak amongst themselves. Perhaps that was for the best though, as the Fang Members looked suspiciously towards their new recruits.

I could see the wheels turning in their heads. Were they going to abandon the cause, and if so, how many would leave. The new recruits they had worked so hard to recruit were just going to leave?

Because a human had told them so?

With that, the room that was once together became fragmented. The two sides ( The Fang and the recruits) were looking at one another suspiciously, trying to grasp what was going on in each other's heads. Were they going to leave? Would they try to stop us? What do we do?

Everyone was waiting, looking for the first spark to set off the powder keg that they were inside. I watched from above, feeling the tension grow and grow, as I felt something shift behind me.

I turned around, watching as Neopolitan stood herself up, her sight likely still lost to her, and her balance nowhere to be found. She likely didn't know what was happening, even as she grabbed her umbrella and stabbed in a random direction.

She had good intuition though, as that was exactly where I stood. But I didn't fret.

Instead, as she attempted to run me through, I dodged out of the way using my hand to redirect the flow of the attack, feeling my magic leech off just a little. With that complete, I flipped backwards off of the walkway, and into the crowd below me.

That's when everything exploded.

Hundreds of voices spoke at the same time, hands shot out as the Fang attempted to grab their recruits. They did this because the recruits knew information that couldn't be spread out, or the Fang would suffer for it. At the same time, many of the Faunus ran for the exit, their masks thrown to the side as they ran.

One of the guards attempted to stop the fleeing Faunus, but he was quickly trampled under the incredible amount of people. The only reason he was alive was because his Aura was protecting him. Not that the Faunus thought of this as they ran from the massive amounts of White Fang members.

But of course, that didn't mean others didn't take this chance.

As I fell down to the ground floor, my mind racing as I tried to observe what was going on, it was interesting that it wasn't just the new recruits that were leaving.

I could see other members of the Fang back away, following the new recruits as they too threw away their masks. They ripped the new recruits out of the grasps of their old comrades, helping them along to escape.

In comparison, some of the new recruits were grabbing their fellow newbies, making sure they couldn't escape. Perhaps they truly believed in what the White Fang was doing, or perhaps they saw a chance to climb the ranks faster. Either way, it was chaos within the warehouse.

In fact, two of the new recruits had pulled out weapons, fight off anyone who tried to grab them. One of them, a black cat Faunus, was on her scroll as a blonde monkey Faunus next to her fended off a few more members.

Was she calling for help?

That was my thought process before she switched her weapon into a gun, and took three White Fang members out of the fight with pinpoint accuracy. All while the blonde one used his staff to block two people simultaneously, before kicking a third one behind him.

I narrowed my eyes as I landed, getting low to dodge any of these strikes, as people started to fly across the room.

Those weren't just random people… they were trained, and trained well. The fact that they were here…

Were they Huntsmen?

I bent backwards, watching a stray strike from one of the Fang members sail over me, before pushing off with my hands and sailing over the crowd. As soon as I had righted myself in the air, grabbing a few thin, long needles behind my back, aiming and throwing them at a few Fang members. Though not as powerful as a bullet, the needles found their place in my opponents forms, their aura blocking it, but weakening themselves enough for any stray punch to take them out.

Spinning through the air, I landed without a sound, taking out my tanto and just running. Low to the ground where no one would think to look, I charged into the Fang's group, attacking anyone wearing their uniform. I was running at least 30 Mph, weaving through the group and striking with great precision, an arm out in front to block any sudden impacts.

By the time the chaos really started, I had already weakened/destroyed the Aura of over 40 members, cutting into their legs just below their line of sight. That…

Was when it started to move.

The hairs on my back bristled, as I instantly turned my head, my eyes widened as I saw it.

A giant metal fist from the robot, striking the Faunus in its way so hard they flew into the wall, as it rocketed to meet me head on.

I almost put up three layers of Nayru's Love on instinct alone, as I watched it come towards me, my perception of time slowing. I would've too, if it was for the critical warning I had received.

You aren't Zelda. You're not the Maiden. You mustn't use magic in this form.

And it was right. I can't just pull anything out when I need to, I have to limit myself…

Or I'll be discovered once more.

So, going against my instinct to create the brilliant blue shield of Nayru's Love, I summoned something else instead. Something strong and useful to the man who couldn't use what was naturally gifted to him. Something that was versatile enough to use in many situations.

A 'Semblance' that fits the Guardian of the Princess of Destiny.

I felt the dark shadows crawl up my arms, a chill going down my spine as I watched it come out. It was unnatural as someone who was aligned to the light to use this spell, as I could feel the bile rise in my throat. Despite that, I kept the spell up, even as my blood seemed to reject even summoning this creature. I felt the incredible drain of the spell, taking almost half of my magic just to partially summon it.

It formed in front of me, a defender against the incoming attack. It stood as strong as any warrior, stronger even, as it waited to face the attack head on.

And that's exactly what happened.

It was struck, the sound of metal against metal crumpling horrendously reaching my ears. Despite that, my summon held the attack back for as long as it could, while I dodged back and away from it. And the second I did…

Was the second the creature fell apart, limbs, chest, head, everything thrown across the room, the fist cratering into the ground.

Dust filled the room, as everyone made a run for it in the confusion. Perhaps they thought that whoever was piloting it had things under control, or maybe realized they were outmatched with three Huntsmen-level threats against them. That only meant there was plenty of room to move around in though, as the robot aimed it's hand in my direction, the gun on it's arm activating.

Glaring, shadows still clinging to my form, I dashed to the side, moving as a blur of blue and gray. That didn't stop him from trying to hit me though, as rockets and large bullets alike aimed for my body, trying to immobilize me.

I was lucky that I was alone though, as moving through a crowd of people had made my speed suffer greatly. Right now, the machine could barely track my movements, much less lay a hand on me.

That couldn't be said for the Faunus that remained though.

The robot suddenly turned, aiming his sights on the Huntsmen and Huntress, as rockets fired from its shoulders. They dodged, caught in the explosion, but coming out unscathed thanks to the Aura they had.

Seeing him focus on someone else, I took this chance to observe my opponent, scanning for any weaknesses. A vital skill I had learned from Link, and hasn't failed so far.

The obvious answer, looking at the creature, was all of its limbs, where the metal was thinnest. There was also the strange eye like devices that were shooting out beams of light, the shots from its arm firing everywhere it aimed.

It's eyes? Perfect.

With any hesitation, I jumped onto one of the walls of the building, launching myself up and towards the robot. The red light aimed at my chest, the creature suddenly turning with a gun pointing in my direction. That was fine though, as taking out another Deku Nut, I threw the seed directly at one of the eyes.

It flashed with an incredible light, as the mechanical monstrosity backpedaled, grabbing at what would've been it's eyes if it was human. Even still, it blindly fired off shots, trying to hit me as I landed directly on its arm.

It seemed the Huntress had a similar idea, as it quickly took out one of the eyes, destroying it beyond comprehension with her black blade. As she did that, I pulled out my own tanto, stabbing the strange eye with all the power I had. The Huntsman followed along, attacking the eye near the bottom of the creature with his staff.

The robot had enough though, as it spun the top of its body as fast as possible, the limitations of the human body lost on it's constructed physique. Allowing myself to sail off, I landed on the railing of the walkway, shadows still dripping off of my form. The Huntress wasn't so lucky, as she attempted to stay on, only to be launched off unprepared, her back striking and almost tearing through the steel wall of the hangar.

"Blake!" The Huntsman called out, turning his attention away enough to miss the robot, pull his leg back and kick him across the room, ending up just like his friend.

The Huntress, Blake as the man had called her, fell to the floor, holding her side in pain. It seemed that even though Aura protected against damage, it didn't stop the pain one felt from such attacks.

Without any hesitation, the robot aimed at the fallen form of the Huntress with its gun, as the Huntsman stood up, running towards the girl.

He wouldn't make it in time.

But it might.

Grabbing at one of the shadows that remained on my person, I pulled on it as hard as I could, feeling my energy drain as I summoned it forth. Lifting it to the air, I used even more magic to propel it forward with a little telekinesis, letting it spin through the air towards the girl.

That was when someone else barged in.

The doors slammed open with a mighty crash, as two figures ran in, one gold and one blue. Each of them had their weapons out, the blue one with a gun and the gold one with gauntlets.

The Golden one took one glance at what was going, from the bullet to my weapon spinning in the air towards Blake, and instantly made her move. With barely a thought, the girl punched the air, followed by something fired out of it with a loud explosion like lightning. An orange bullet sailed toward my projectile, trying to stop it from reaching Blake.

I couldn't allow that.

Jumping down right in front of her, I took a needle and threw it at the bullet, watching it explode as it made contact. I landed soon after, silent as I turned to look at the golden girl who shot that bullet.

She was ready to rush me, her glare filled with an unspoken rage, as she got into a brawlers stance. Her hair was literally glowing as her eyes-

We both froze. Our eyes met, and suddenly all the anger inside her disappeared, replaced by an expression as if she had been punched in the gut.

For me though, time seemed to slow down, as I took in the woman in front of me.

She was a beautiful woman, there was no doubt about that, with long and luscious locks of golden hair. She was wearing a white jacket that barely covered her large chest, with a tight black dress underneath, both of which barely covered her thighs. Covering her arms was a sort of black vest, with no front, rather only the sleeves and what seemed to be her a bit of her back. She was also wearing stockings with straps holding it up, and a belt with golden buckles to make the jacket pop. On the side of her left stocking was a symbol of a golden heart on fire.

But that wasn't what made me stop and stare, and despite how I was dressed, I was sure she wasn't paying attention to my clothes.

No, I was looking at her eyes, just as she was mine.

The eyes of blood, their crimson color making them almost seem to glow.

The eyes that were exactly like the Sheikah clans.

Eyes exactly like my own.

This was bad…

There was a Sheikah clan in this world?! Were they just like Impa, protectors of the Kingdom!? If so, this form would be drawing more attention than I had originally intentioned! Was this girl part of that clan? Did she know I was a fake, someone who shouldn't exist in this world o-

The upheaval of stone echoing across the rooms interrupted my thoughts, the sound of steel being struck rang across the room. We both turned our heads, facing the direction where the sound had come from, as the blue one stared between us stiffly.

Blake had had her eyes closed, expecting the worse, as everyone in the room seemed to freeze and stare. Slowly, as if afraid of what she might see, I watched as she opened her eyes. Then, as the dust settled around her, I watched as her eyes widened.

And what stood there, gleaming in what little light existed in the hangar…

Was the weapon that saved the woman's life.

It was too big to be called a sword… massive, thick, heavy, it was far too large for any man to even hope to wield. It had no guard, it had no pommel, it was simply a slab of sharpened iron with a handle on the end. The only unique characteristic of the sword was the four humongous outward teeth on the end of the blade, and the swirl like patterns on the face of the blade. It remained in the earth, despite being shot at with a powerful gun from the robot, unmarked and peerless as it had always been.

No one moved, not even the robot as they stared at the appearance of the incredibly large weapon. Maybe they were wondering where it came from, or who it belonged to…

But I could only smirk underneath my wrap, confident and ignoring the way the crimson-eyed girl had stared at me.

"Don't worry about your friend," I spoke to the red eyed girl, as she turned to stare at me. As she did, the dark shadows around me fell to the floor, shifting towards the humongous sword a ways away. "She's protected."

"What are you-?" The woman began, trying to get a straight answer from me…

Just as the shadow reached the sword, the remaining magic power that was necessary to fully summon my guardian drained from me.

It happened in an instant.

A dark wind swirled around the blade, completely blocking everything from view. Blake had to cover her ears, the winds whipping so close to her that her eyes watered from the force. Pieces of the creature before her were lifted by the winds, gathering at that one point under my command. Despite that, no one could see what was forming, though I knew what was being formed underneath.

But it seemed that the man in the robot had enough of this.

The hulking monster rushed forward without a word, its fist raised to crush both Blake and the dark cloud.

But that was impossible.

Not while it was there.

"So long as your friend has a kind heart," I told the girl, relaxing as I felt the summon come under my command, the battle already finished in my mind. "It will never let anything touch her."

Without another word, the robot brought its fist down, ripping past the air around it…

Before it was forced to stop. Not by a barrier, nor any form of Aura and Semblance.

It was stopped by a hand, as the force of the swing dissipated the dark cloud surrounding it.

Everyone squinted, the force of the blow making their eyes water, as the stone shattered underneath it. But even through watery eyes, the image of what now stood in front of them was burned into their eyes.

If one thought the sword was massive, then the creature standing next to it was a giant. Waves of dark energy surrounded it like ink in water, the energy drinking up anything and everything surrounding it., The blue one took a step back, feeling what thousands before had felt upon gazing at its visage.

Fear.

Armor thicker than any blade, it stood as if uncaring of the robots strike, like a beast before a mouse. It was at least six and a half feet tall, its form larger than even the strongest of Gorons, and its presence turning the very air into a thick soup. It was dressed head to toe in steel armor, colored dark rose gold with a lighter swirl pattern on its chest plate, with matching colored arms and legs. Its pauldrons were a deep iris purple, just like the armored kilt around its waist, and the hinged joint on its elbows and knees. On the back was a brown rectangular shield, depicting a tower with two upside down golden triangles on the top corners. It's helm stood high, horns forming on top like a demon, as nothing but darkness peered out from beneath its helm.

And underneath that shield was the pink symbol of the land of Hyrule, branded upon its back with a sacred energy.

Everyone felt it. A pit in their stomach as the armor shifted, as it stared from underneath its helm at the robot, like an abyss from which there was no return. No one breathed, how could they?

Play "Die ~ RWBY: Volume 2"

The Phantom was here, and it had registered its opponent.

Without a word, my Phantom gripped onto the steel fist of the robot, the dark energy still radiating from its form. The steel bent in on itself from the force of the grip, crumpling it like paper in its hands. Seeing this, the man in the robot instantly pointed its other hand with gun down at the empty piece of armor.

It was point blank, nothing could've survived it. Despite that, the robot kept shooting at my Phantom, trying to destroy the incredibly powerful entity.

But, no matter how many bullets struck the steel armor, it didn't waver. Taking enough Dust bullets to kill a large Grimm, it stood as if not feeling anything, unaffected by the weapon.

If anything, to the Huntsmen and Huntresses surrounding me…

With no hesitation in front of its enemy, my Phantom ripped the fist off of the robot, taking the boulder sized piece of steel for itself. Then, with only a slight delay, it used the fist in its hand and threw it into the gun of the robot. The force of the throw crumpled if inward, blocking any shot from escaping its front. Still firing however, the gun exploded from the pressure, making it completely useless as the barrel exploded.

It only pissed it off.

With the ease of picking up a stone from the ground, the Phantom wrenched the blade from the ground. The sound of steel against stone echoed in the chamber, as the phantom stood at the ready, pulling it's shield from its back.

The robot pulled back, creating distance between itself and my Phantom, no doubt trying to avoid getting hurt. It's right hand was no longer in use, and the left gun wasn't working anymore, so it was running out of options.

But it still had something up its sleeve.

Firing the rockets from his shoulders, the robot aimed everything at my Phantom, attempting to destroy or at least hamper it from moving any further. They sailed through the air, moving faster than the Phantom could dodge them.

Not that that mattered much.

The Phantom raised its shield the barest inch, covering more of its body as the rockets impacted its form. As soon as they did, they blew up over and over again, not giving the armored creature a chance to rest.

Despite these explosions though, the Phantom wasn't pushed back. No, rather, it was pushing back.

As the area around the Phantom was completely and utterly eviscerated, it alone was able to stand under the pressure. And rather than brace itself…

The Phantom rushed forward, slow but much faster than any human could move in such armor.

The robot backpedaled, firing its only gun at my Phantom, trying to stop it from getting any closer, but it was pointless. No matter what it fired, the Phantom didn't stop, it didn't rest, it only endlessly chased the foe in front of it.

And when it reached its foe, it didn't hesitate.

Even as it was pelted by the bullets of the robot, the Phantom swung its sword down at its leg to cripple its movement. It swung its humongous blade faster than should be possible, as the full weight of the sword went down on its leg.

A horrendous sound screeched out from the robot, unlike any I had heard before, and would likely ever hear. It was as if the metal itself was screaming in agony, as it bent into a shape it was never supposed. The foot of the robot, once straight and powerful, was now folded in half, forcing its foot to touch where its shin was.

Without any support, the robot fell to the side, unable to stand completely upright without the use of its two legs. However, even as it fell, whoever was driving it still tried to get rid of my Phantom, using the only leg it had to kick the Phantom away.

But this was just an attempt to delay the inevitable.

A failed attempt.

Bracing itself behind the thick shield in its off hand, the Phantom received the impact of the kick with ease. Not even budging an inch, it instead used this opportunity to deal even more damage. With the leg completely horizontal, it was easy for the Phantom to bring its sword down completely onto the robot's leg.

As if hobbling the poor robot wasn't enough, I watched with passive eyes as the Phantom cut its right leg completely in half. The sound was agony, as Blake and the Blonde Faunus had to physically cover their ears in an attempt to block out the sound. The Crimson-Eyed girl cringed at the sound, as the blue one followed close behind.

Despite that, no one dared to look away, the Phantom pulling the entirety of their attention.

It was at this point that the robot fell completely to ground, shattering the concrete that made up the floor. But that didn't mean it was done, as it tried to strike the Phantom again with a fist, once again attempting to change fate.

Seeing this obvious attempt, the Phantom met its attack head on, using it's blade to cut the approaching fist in half. The horrid sound echoed once more, as if the robot was truly crying out in pain, begging for it to stop. Then, as if to throw salt upon the wound, the Phantom twisted its humongous blade. The metal arm that was already in half was slowly pried open, as the hand was slowly starting to resemble more of a claw.

"This…" The Blonde monkey stated, his tail drooping down, as he stood next to Blake in an attempt to aid her. His eyes, taking in the scene, perfectly capturing the feelings shared amongst the group that was gathered.

"What on Remnant?"

That was a new voice.

I turned my head slightly, the only one amongst the gathering of Huntsmen and Huntresses able to tear my eyes away from the scene. The head of pure white hair made me double take for a moment, before the icy blue eyes calmed me down.

It wasn't another Sheikah, merely a girl with pure white hair. Uncommon, especially in those who weren't Sheikah, but not too out of the ordinary.

I turned my head back to the scene, watching as my Phantom ripped out its blade from within the robot's arm. Taking a second to examine its opponent though, the robot still moving even despite the damage it had taken.

Once again, it tried a point blank gun attack, trying to do something, anything, to my monster.

But, the Phantom merely raised its shield, and the attack was completely deflected, bouncing off the shield and into the stone floor. Seeing how it could still move, my Phantom went for the obvious move.

Placing its shield onto its back, it gripped it's blade with two hands…

And cut down on it's midsection, over and over again, denting and tearing the metal like a tin can with each hit.

The strikes were like thunder, ripping and tearing through the air, as the Phantom kept brutally destroying the machine. Everyone winced at the sound, as I could see the goosebumps crawling up their skin, and the sweat dripping from their brow.

No one could say a word, not even the newcomer, who slowly walked up to the invisible line we had created. She couldn't step closer, she could only watch in shock as sparks began to fly with each strike. Sparks that were swallowed by the radiant darkness that clung to its form, as it continued to bring its blade down upon its opponent.

But as I watched, I could only glare, as the seconds ticked by in my head.

You're running out of time.

I'm aware.

Just as the Phantom finally cut the robot in half, I mentally commanded it with my magic, feeling almost the entirety of my magic energy drain away. As it did, the same shadows that covered the Phantom surrounded my arms, before I directed it with a few mental words.

'There's a person controlling it.' I told it simply, as the command leaked directly into its head, allowing only it to hear me. 'Rip him out.'

It turned its head, looking directly at the 'heart' of the robot with an empty gaze. As soon it did, the robot moved its only working arm, grabbing at the solid stone and trying to pull itself away.

As soon as it tried to, the Phantom merely stabbed its blade through the creature, sinking into the metal of the robot and concrete of the floor. With the shield still on it's back, it grabbed the center of the robot…

Before punching into the robot, grabbing and ripping out the person piloting the machine. The last horrific sound of crying metal of the night ringing out into the air.

End "Die"

The robot fell, unmoving without its pilot to guide and control the powerhouse, demolished beyond words. It was beyond words, the sight of the destruction before me and the rest of the Huntsmen and Huntresses leaving us breathless.

But their attention was pulled just as easily as mine, when it was revealed who the pilot really was.

Roman Torchwick, my Phantom holding him by the throat, was staring at the suit of armor in absolute fear. I could tell he was trying to say something, perhaps one of the witty remarks he was known for, but no air escaped his lungs. Slowly but surely, his trademark bowler cap lost somewhere, his face was turning as red as his hair. He was grabbing at the Phantoms grip, struggling in hopes to remove its hand and take a breath of fresh air.

The Phantom only stared, no doubt judging the thief…

Before it grabbed the sword it had stuck into the robot, holding it up for a humongous swing, aimed to split the man in half.

I watched with passive eyes, even as something squirmed inside of my chest. Roman redoubled his efforts to escape, he looked towards me within the silent room.

No one said a word, as everything seemed to freeze, all as I watched with empty scarlet eyes.

And, as the blade came down to cleave him in two…

"That's enough."

It stopped just as the blade met his forehead , as the Phantom turned to me, it's empty gaze focusing directly on me. The people next to me flinched as it turned its gaze toward them, but I remained stern.

"I need him alive." I told the Phantom, as the girl with white hair looked at me strangely, quickly followed by the gaze of everyone else. I ignored them however, as I didn't dare break eye contact with the Phantom.

It was a battle of wills between me and the dark creature before me, as the seconds ticked forward. The creature that destroyed all those in its path except those with a good heart, and the person who summoned it.

As soon as the Phantom turned its head though, I knew I had won, as I resisted the urge to smirk under my mask. With the loosening of its grip, Roman gasped for the fresh air that was being robbed from him, his face almost blue. Everyone else took a breath of relief, relaxing as it seemed that I had the Phantom under control.

Seemed, anyway.

Before Roman was fully aware of his surroundings, the Phantom took the flat of it's blade and slammed it against the thief. It happened so fast that half of the group didn't even notice it occurred before Roman skipped across the stone floor, and dented the steel walls.

The smirk fell away as I glared at the dark creature before me, as it turned to look me straight in the eye. It put away it's sword and stood with its arms crossed, looking at me with what could only be smug indifference. I could practically hear his thoughts too, as the time limit slowly crept up on him.

'Still alive.'

With that, like strings cut off of a marionette, the Phantom suddenly fell to its knees, the dark energy keeping it here disappearing without a trace. That wasn't all though, as before it could fall, it disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. It left no trace of its existence, nothing but the absolute destruction left in its wake, and the corpse of the robot so brutally demolished.

Facetious bastard.

I gave a sigh as he disappeared, resisting the urge to bring my fingers up to rub the bridge of my nose.

'This is why I don't like giving them full sentience.' I thought, as I took a deep breath to calm myself down feeling my anger boiling rise higher and higher. 'Should stick with partial summons until I absolutely need them.'

But that was the incredible downside to using my Phantoms to fight, even if they were incredibly useful.

This was a Spell I had picked up in the Shadow Temple on my journey with Link, and out of all of my collected spells, this was the most infuriating.

For one, it was a spell to summon a dark entity for your use completely under your command. However, because of my nonexistent affinity with anything dark in nature, they often did whatever they wanted. It had taken hours of training the Phantoms to actually get them to listen to a word I said, and that was very hard when I only had one minute with each of the four.

Two, the lack of affinity made this spell expensive, and oftentimes I was left almost empty after one use. My strongest point as a spell caster was my versatility, and thus I specialized in making low costing spells make the most powerful impact possible. That was really hard to do when the Phantom took half my magic for one minute each summon. In fact, without the Triforce of Wisdom, I doubt I'd be able to summon a Phantom's finger even if I used every drop of magic in my body.

Three, it made me physically sick to summon them, since I had the blood of the Goddess Hylia, The Goddess of Light, in my veins. Any more than two fully summoned Phantoms a day, and I would be out with a high fever, completely delirious until I healed.

So, it was quite obvious that I didn't use them often, even if the pros outweigh the cons in many situations. Though, after getting the hang of summoning in general, I usually just partially summoned them, using their strength in short bursts rather than the full minute. It drastically decreased the magic cost, didn't make me sick, but also quartered their strength and defense. They also completely listened to me, and didn't have attitudes about taking my orders, which was a huge positive.

Especially since, for whatever reason, Link can easily get them to do what he wants, which makes me want to rip my hair out! He had even given them names that I refused to call them by until they listened to me properly!

But, I digress.

I turned to the form of Roman Torchwick, broken and beaten against the wall, with only a few bruises in sight thanks to his Aura. Despite that, he was slumped completely against the wall, possibly knocked out from being nearly choked to death and and almost bisected by my Phantom.

Without a word, I marched towards Roman, moving briskly as his companion was still somewhere nearby. That bit of movement seemed to be enough to get the gears turning though, as the Huntsmen and Huntresses began to move all at once.

"Holy shit…" The blue one began, as a small smile graced his lips, his eyes still of where my Phantom had disappeared. "That was…."

But his words were drowned out by the blonde Huntsman, who had rushed up to the giant robot corpse. "That was one of the coolest things I've ever seen! I'm not dreaming right, that really just happened?!" He shouted out loud, pinching himself in the cheek as if to check if this was, in fact, a dream.

"That was… " The girl in white began to say in wide eyed amazement, as a light of familiarity began to glow within her eyes. "A summon?"

My eyes widened slightly, as the girl hit the nail on the head with ease. Just as quickly though, I put my neutral expression back on, acting as if I hadn't heard her. Instead, I kneeled right next to Roman, taking his pulse to whether or not he was still alive.

But my fingers didn't meet soft flesh. Rather, as my two fingers met his neck, I felt the hard and smooth sensation of…

I glared down at Roman, standing up suddenly and turning towards the exit, my energy drained and my patience thinning.

That girl, Neopolitan… her Semblance…

It wasn't teleportation.

"Hey, hold on a sec-" The crimson eyed girl began to speak, as I felt her reach out and try to grab at my shoulder. Before she could though, I side stepped her grab, facing her completely with her hand still out stretched.

But this time, her eyes weren't red. Instead, they were purple, matching lilacs instead of the blood red they were only a minute ago.

I felt a brow raise as I looked her in the eye, as the girl looked me up and down again, as if searching for something. As she did though, I couldn't help but notice a glimmer of what seemed to be… hope?

I felt a drop of sweat drip down my back, as an uncomfortable feeling began to sit in my stomach. What was she looking for? What answer did she expect to find from me?

Either way, I couldn't stay. My magic was low, and I couldn't be dragged into whatever these Huntsmen and Huntresses were doing.

In truth, I was lucky today. If I hadn't already listed Neopolitan as a potential source of information, then everything tonight would've been pointless. But I only had a limited time frame to make up for this mistake.

But I needed to get away. And I doubt the girl before me would let me just leave.

Not when it seemed she had just discovered something she had been searching for her entire life.

"You… do you know someone named Ra-"

The doors exploded open in a cloud of rose petals, as everyone turned to look at the resulting chaos. Standing at the entrance of the hangar stood a younger girl with a red hood on, a humongous scythe in her hands ready for combat.

"I'm here!" The girl called out, wheezing in between breaths as sweat poured down her forehead like a fountain. "Where's the robot?! Is it somewhere nearby?! I got my gravity bullets locked and loaded, so I can do mor-"

With that, I silently took my leave, escaping whatever situation was rising between me and the blonde Huntress before me. With a crouch, I sprung up onto the second floor railing of the warehouse, landing without a sound. Then, completely out of sight, I activated Farore's wind with the last of my magic.

But, not before I heard what must've been the girl in red seeing the corpse of the robot for herself.

"NOOOOO-!"

As reality shifted away from the warehouse, so too did the cries of anguish disappear with it. I gave a sigh of relief, as I loosened the wrap around my head and face, giving me a chance to breathe easier.

Before I collapsed in the bed, taking a second to rest my body.

"What a day…" I told myself, taking deep breaths just to calm myself down, as my mind slowly reviewed everything that happened.

---

It took almost three to calm down after everything that had happened. My heart was still beating in excitement, and my magic was returning to me in earnest. I was back at full, and my heart and mind were as calm as a still pond.

But the night wasn't over quite yet.

I sat up completely, feeling my body protest, telling me that enough was enough for today.

But I knew that was not the case.

Good!

Roman had escaped, the information that he could provide still a well of untapped knowledge. His partner had a mysterious, and what seemed to be a useful, Semblance that let him escape, as I had little doubt it was her. And most importantly…

I was no closer to the demon.

Or, at least, that was how it looked.

I sat up and tightened the wraps around my head and face, ensuring that they were secure in their placement. Then, with a simple twitch of my finger, I felt the dark shadows form around me for the second that knight, as they gathered before me.

Taking shape as they had before, the Phantom dropped in front of me, shattering the floor as the metal impacted it. Not that that mattered to me, as this was just an abandoned building I had found.

But this one was slightly different than the other one.

For one, the horns of this Phantom were curled downwards on its head, and the hole in its helm wasn't the T of its brother. Its chest and helm had a completely different symbol, with an upside down U, horns curling up halfway down. It's shield was the same shape, but the symbol on it was the same as its chest, with another U with horns right side up underneath. It's sword was also different, being a simple shape instead of the usual teeth that it had on the ends of the sword.

It looked around, as if looking for something or someone to fight nearby. When it didn't find anyone though, it seemed to relax, as it just looked down at me, it's head turned, confused.

This the only Phantom that I would call by the names Link had given them. He was also the only one that bothered to listen to me, and follow my orders as best he could.

He was also the least...bright of the four.

"Solon," I began, not bothering to change my voice at the moment, making sure he knew it was me. He took a step back out of surprise, as he looked me up and down. "It's Zelda, I'm in disguise. Look, we don't have a lot of time, so I need you to focus."

Solon stared at me for a second, still wondering what was going on as I spoke, looking completely different from what he was used to. Then, just as slowly, he nodded, giving me the ok to continue.

"Alright," I began, taking a breath and shifting my voice back into the one fit for this form. "I need you-" He took another step back in surprise, as I resisted the urge to chuckle, focusing on what was important. "To teleport to your friend. He's a little far at the moment, but I need you to take me with you, and attack. Got it?"

He stared at me for a moment longer, probably still stuck on the fact that I was Zelda but looked completely different. Despite that, knowing that I was Zelda, he didn't hesitate in the least.

Without another word, Solon put his shield away and grabbed my shoulder, as the dark energy around him turned into purple smoke.

The world began to spin, as unlike Farore's Wind with two clear differences, I watched two separate sections of reality blend into one. The air didn't shift, it disappeared as I was forced to hold my breath, feeling my stomach lurch unnaturally. The world kept spinning as I began to get dizzy, feeling my organs shift ever-so-slightly. Then, just as easily, air returned to the world as I released the breath I was holding.

I took a second to find my feet, the unusual way we teleported affecting my balance, as I tried to take in my surroundings. Solon, on the other hand, instantly turned around and struck the person closest to him.

It was instant. The battle started just as soon as it ended, as the sound of something splitting in two echoed across the room.

Shaking my head, I watched as the form of one Neopolitan fell to the floor, her eyes completely white with an expression of horror. She wasn't dead, but the damage was severe, as she had barely any time to defend herself. On the floor next to her was a lacy pink umbrella…

One that slowly started to move, as something pried itself out.

With a squelch that almost made me shudder in disgust, it hovered just above the umbrella, using its spinning wings to do so. Above those wings was an absolutely disgusting stalk which, while dripping clear fluid everywhere, was the five eyes that made up the body of the Phantom Eye. All five of its eyes blinked at different times, as it looked in every direction at the same time.

Before it could do anything else, I commanded it stay and hide, if only to get it out of my sight.

With it out of my sight, and my balance returned to me, I focused on the task at hand.

Without another word, Neopolitan tried to escape, scrambling to get away and outside of the room. Not that there was any point to such action, as Solon took the flat of his blade, and knocked the girl upside the head, knocking her out instantly.

I gave Solon a nod, as I grabbed the very short woman, looking around as best I could to understand where I was. It was pretty empty though, and incredibly dark for a world that loved to keep it's cities bright. Luckily, it seemed that I wouldn't have to look far for my target.

"Neo?" I heard the familiar voice of a certain red headed thief, as slowly limped into the room from the door. "I know you can't say anything, but please tell me you got the pain kil-"

As he walked in though, he stopped dead in his tracks, unable to say a word. I, on the other hand, just smiled at my good fortune.

"Hello Roman." I said simply, as Solon extended his arm, grabbing the thief by the neck for the second time that night. As soon as he did, I gripped onto Solon's arm, Neo in my own as I signaled him to teleport back to the Phantom eye I had left in my hideout. "I believe we have some unfinished business with one another."

Roman said nothing though, as he just grabbed at his throat, unable to breath again as he looked on in terror.

"So, before we begin," I told him, holding tightly onto both Neo and Solon, as the world began to slowly spin in place. "Let me introduce myself."

With that, I looked him dead in the eye, making sure that he would remember the scarlet eyes of the Sheikah Clan.

"My name is Sheik." I told him simply, all while reality began to blend together again, as I watched Roman's eye begin bugging out in complete hysteria. "And from this point on…"

The room filled with purple smoke, as suddenly, all four of us disappeared from the heart of the demon's operation. No trace save for a broken umbrella, and the words left behind, echoing in the empty room.

"You're going to tell me everything you know about your 'employer'."

---

End of Chapter 10

---

"Now it's time to say goodbye, to the things we love, and the innocence of youth. How the time seemed to fly, from our carefree lives, and the solitude and peace we always knew."

Happy 100th Episode Anniversary guys!

So, about Telekinesis… Remember in OoT, when Zelda's opening giant gates by the end of the game with her mind? Yeah, thought I'd put that in since it adds to her repertoire pretty well. It's nothing big like Glynda Goodwitch, but just enough to be useful. At most she can lift her weight with telekinesis.

Now excuse me while I go play P5S!

Next Time on "A Hero's Dream"!

"The Eye and the Prize"