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

13. The First Step

Hello everyone, and welcome to another chapter of…

"A Hero's Dream"!

Certainly been a long time, hasn't it guys? Sorry for the wait, but so much has been happening to deal with in the family. Weddings, the Family Business, even some medical stuff, and the horrid practice of procrastination.

Don't worry though, everything is back in order, so I shall be back on top of writing, especially since I'm excited for you guys to read this and the next chapter.

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

Inheritance1990: I hope you are, cause I have some interesting plans.

Darkmist111: Thank you, I wanted to get across how intelligent, if even a little manipulative Zelda was, and foreshadow how she might compare to Ozpin. I'm glad you like it.

On the topic of Magic, I'd like to think that Zelda sees Magic as a math equation. Where some people see simple Magic + Spell = Effect, she can do more than just addition in comparison, like Magic/ Strength Given * Spell + Intended Modification = Differing Effect. Basically where other people are Wizards who can only use up to third level spells and cast them only at their level, Zelda is a Sorcerer who can cast sixth level spells at any level with a TON of metamagic points. I hope that clarifies things.

Sorry if you don't know what that means, it's DND if that helps.

TimonShay: I assume you're talking about Zelda's last name she gave to Ozpin? Cause that's actually Zelda's middle name in the story, a reference to EVERY Zelda FanFiction I have ever read. XD

silverhawk88: I can't wait to tell you what happens and i'm glad you liked the Chapter. Honestly, I was a little nervous to have a chapter with ONLY talking, but I was proud of how it came. Honestly, I'm in the belief that Roman and Neo are star crossed partners who helped each other in the hardest times of their life. But, to each their own until it is written.

GehrmanHunts: I'm glad you like his Semblance, cause I'm going to have fun with it. :)

Blabacon: I'm glad you like it!

Espada-001: I see what you mean with Raven, but I honestly stick by it, even if I've already got reviews saying otherwise. I hope you still liked the fight though! And on to Ozpin, Ruby, and Zelda, I can't wait to get writing those, as they just seem like a lot of fun. I hope you have a good time reading this, so enjoy and have a good time of day!

alexkellar: Thank you for the praise, I'm very proud of Lined Pockets, and I'm glad you liked the chapter. I hope you enjoy this one just as much.

Awesomeguy246: Thanks for the review!

Guest: Who says he's benched? :)

NyghtCr33d: I'm glad you like the chapter and apologize for my update schedule. I always try to be better about it, but it doesn't always work out for me. I'm glad you like both Link and Zelda, cause I try really hard to make them interesting even though both of them are… well really they are characterized as stereotypes of every Princess and every Hero. XD

Don't worry, we are getting to our Princess and Hero interactions with the RWBY cast. Though Link will be interacting with characters that you would usually be unable to in the main storyline. I'm glad it doesn't ruin the story, but you're right, it is valid complaint about the story. The only problem I have with it is that Link at Beacon isn't as interesting in my opinion as Zelda in Beacon. If Link is there, any challenge that Zelda might face is lessened because she has a powerful warrior that would do anything for her. That's another reason why I separated them, as it will make the eventual point where they work together all the more powerful. I hope from here on it doesn't drag for you anymore, cause I feel that would be a damn shame.

Nah-su: I hope you like this new chapter. Enjoy!

Also, important but also minor SPOILER! Come back and read after you finished the Chapter. Or if you don't mind, you can read it now.

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If you have Arachnophobia, I suggest skipping this chapter and the next. I don't want what I'm writing to make any one more uncomfortable than necessary. Proceed at your own risk.

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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 12: The First Step

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The worst thing about having a broken bone isn't the pain, but rather the inability to do so many of the common things you could be doing.

I sighed gently, making sure it was quiet, as I felt a stiff breeze rustle my tunic, my sword in my lap as I kept my balance. What I wouldn't give to simply swing my sword once more, the perfect and familiar weight in my hands. A dream that would have to wait a few more weeks, as I felt my right arm itch underneath its wrappings.

Despite my arm though, that wasn't the reason why I couldn't swing my sword. Rather…

My ear twitched as the door to the guest room swung open with a heavy slam, as the urge to unsheath the blade died before I could act.

It was the fault of this carnivorous beast.

"Where are you?!" Eva spoke, as the image of her face pouting up a storm filled my mind, as I stifled a laugh.

"No slamming doors Eva!" The voice of Joseph said, coming from downstairs, as some woman spoke on the magic box I now knew as a 'TV'.

"…-ugh, can any of us be sure that this was a real earthquake? Although sources are few and far between, many fear the involvement of the Wh-"

"I know you're here Mr. Zombie!" Eva whined loudly once more, as my ears almost rang from the pitch of the shout. Some of the birds also flew away, creating a cacophony of noise to block out the TV. "I give up! I don't wanna play Hide N' Seek anymore!"

I sighed again, as Eva stomped her feet, all while Joseph fumed downstairs, making the TV louder as he did.

"-But these claims are proven inaccurate, as after a week of research, Police and Huntsmen have searched for any sign of foul play, and have turned up nothing. Still, stories are growing more and more frequent of someone being involved. Loca-"

"Stop hiding!" Eva continued, starting to sound genuinely upset at my apparent disappearing act, as I could practically hear her lip quivering. A fact that made my heart sink, as a frown became all to present on my face. "C-come out! I-if you don't I-I-I'm telling MOM!"

Another sigh escaped my lips, as my private time had finally seemed to come to an end. Without a word, I leaned backwards, no fear as I felt nothing catch me from falling, and closed my eyes and forced my best relaxed face on.

Letting my arms hang down, I heard a squeal of fright, as the sound of someone dropping to the floor was made apparent. Resisting a laugh, I flexed my legs despite their aching, and simply hung upside down off of my rest area.

'-an in green destroying hundreds of Grimm in the span of barely an hour. Though rumors have been springing up, there is no definitive proof of such claims, leaving the matter as merely a folk tale. Still, people's interest is piqued, as all attention is focused on this man and his next move."

"M-mr. Zombie?" Eva began, no doubt looking at me with curious eyes, as I felt something poke my cheek. When she did, I yawned, forcing myself to stretch despite my aching upper body and wounds.

I slowly blinked open my eyes as if I had just woken up, looking at the young Faunus upside down in the window with a tired gaze. When I saw her with bloodshot eyes, I felt my heart sink once more, as she was clearly upset over my disappearing act. So, before anything else could be said, I gave her a little wave.

"Hey Eva," I 'managed' to get out through a yawn, still hanging upside down supposedly without a care in the world. "Is the game over?"

One of her dolls hit me right between the eyes, which certainly 'woke' me up. As an afterthought, I caught the toy before it managed to fall to the ground, holding it in my only good hand.

"Cheater!" Eva shouted, as through blurry eyes I swore she was looking for more ammunition to throw at me. "Cheater, cheater, cheater!"

"Hey," I began to speak in a soothing tone, trying to stop the battle before it even began. "Calm down E-"

"I don't listen to cheaters!" Eva shouted, as she began throwing more of her toys at me, striking me in places that honestly really hurt. "Cheaters are mean! We weren't supposed to go outside! Popop said, "Stay inside", you jerkface!"

"No he didn't," I said with a raised voice. Trying to speak over the wall of childlike rage that stood in front of me. "He said we can't step one foot outside the house. And, as you can see, I haven't taken a single step."

It was true. Half an hour ago, after overhearing our plans for hide and seek, Joseph said we can't leave the house. He probably didn't want the young girl getting the idea that she could go outside of the village, if only as a game.

However, I needed some time to relax, so…

"But the tree is outside!" Eva complained, as she ran out of toys, glaring at me with her powerful eye. Eyes that struck fear even in her parents at the intensity behind them.

But I just chuckled.

"But I didn't walk outside," I told her with a grin, motioning to my legs as if to show off. "I just climbed the tree, and I certainly didn't step outside of the house. That would be against the rules."

"Grr…" She growled as she puffed out her cheeks, her young mind unable to counter the loophole I had fashioned. But a light bulb must've gone off in her head somewhere, as she gave a small smirk. "Well… I'm still telling Mom."

My face fell almost immediately, as despite the blood rushing to my head, I felt myself pale at the thought. She seems to realize it too, as she gave a smug grin, like she knew I had been caught.

"You wouldn't…" I prodded, giving her a matching glare, unable to be taken seriously due to the fact that I was completely upside down.

"Would too!" Eva spoke loudly, as she leaned out the open window of the guest room, giving a cheeky smile. "You're gonna be in so much trouble when Mom finds out! You're supposed to be resting, not climbing trees! Unless…"

"Unless…?" I echoed, a raised brow currently on my face as I tried to figure out what she wanted.

"Unless you give me extra bacon tomorrow!" She spoke with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face, as if she had achieved a great victory.

I resisted the urge to laugh at her so-called victory, finding the situation itself quite humorous. I was gonna give her extra bacon to make up for upsetting her anyway, so it didn't really matter.

Not that I was gonna let her know that.

"Well, well…" I spoke, crossing my own arms as I gave her a smirk, confusion now plastered on her face. "It would seem my gluttonous warden finally reveals her true colors. But, what if I offer a counter proposal, one she couldn't possibly refuse?"

"Huh?" Eva asked, honestly confused at what I was talking about, as she gave a tilt of her head. I almost started to laugh, but managed to hold it in without revealing the fact I thought it was funny.

"Basically," I began, still hanging upside down, as I extended my good hand towards her, all with a smirk on my face. "I'm gonna show you something cool, and in return, you keep quiet about my rule bending."

"Breaking." Eva corrected, staring at me with a curious gaze, trying to figure out what I was going to show her.

"Tomato, tomato." I joked, as her stare turned into a raised eyebrow, which forced me to chuckle. "And if you agree… you can get a pretty cool hideout."

That made her eyes widen a bit, as she leaned outside the window, just barely touching my hand with her forehead. I was really tempted to tell her she was breaking the rules herself, but that would just ruin everything.

"Like a superhero?!" Eva shouted with a big grin on her face, as I chuckled again, before relaxing my hand.

"Yep," I told her honestly, as I grabbed the tree branch I was hanging on, making sure I was gripping it tight. "So…"

Without a word of warning, I released my legs, feeling gravity take me for a second. Eva's expression morphed into shock, as her mind attempted to process what I just did. Before she could, I shifted my weight and brought my feet back down to meet the earth. Before I did though, I held on as hard as I could with my left hand, before stopping my fall by "standing" on the side of the tree.

"Wanna learn how to climb a tree?" I asked, as Eva stared at me with wide eyes, a huge smile on her face as she did.

This time I really did laugh.

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It had taken Eva barely thirty minutes to get the art of tree climbing down pat. She was a natural in every way, from finding good branches to support herself, and even finding paths up the tree that should've been really hard for someone barely 7 years old. She even managed to get to the highest top of the tree, and still managed to make her way down with barely a speck of fear of falling.

Not gonna lie, I was impressed. Not as impressive as someone matching her every accomplishment with an arm almost literally tied behind their back, but still pretty impressive.

I smiled as I watched the young girl climb all the way up for the third time, resting my back against the tree and relaxing my aching wounds. It was hard to remember the last time I had done something like this, just listening to the wind, and casually watching the day go by.

It was nice, a reminder of better days, before my adventure started.

That was, until I felt one of my wounds bleeding a bit, as I silently cursed under my breath. A reminder of the situation I was really in…

I rubbed at my left arm, feeling the pain of the fresh shallow claw marks that had ripped so easily into my flesh just yesterday. The bandages I had wrapped around them last night were no doubt a little red, but they were luckily under my tunic, easily hidden from view to any of the family I had found myself living with. One of the few that have recently marked me over the past week.

A week of work as "The Wanderer", or so the people of Mistral had taken to calling me. Definitely not the "Hero of Time", or the "Hero of Twilight", but certainly not a bad name.

I tore my gaze away from the child having fun, looking out into the large plain that was the Kingdom of Mistral. The place I had roamed every night for the past week, from midnight to dawn, slaying any Grimm that came my way. A work that was definitely being noticed, if the news reports had anything to say about it.

And yet…

I sighed as I leaned forward, putting a hand on my cheek as I continued to look out towards the wide plains.

Was it enough?

I know I was being impatient, expecting what I was doing to have Zelda instantly find me, but… A part of me was hoping it would happen. That it would finally just be that easy for me, so that I could complete my mission. So that Zelda and I could go home and finally just… take the weight of the world off of our shoulders.

So that some of our scars can finally heal.

But that wasn't always the case. Some scars never heal, especially when we keep making them bigg-

I shook my head, getting rid of the pointless thoughts, as I sat myself straight up. Expecting results is fine, but being impatient would get me nowhere. Face the facts…

The plan was working, maybe even a little better than I had hoped. People were talking about me, spreading enough rumors to the point that even the local TV Crier was talking about me. And, according to what I could figure out, if these rumors get big enough, they might even reach the entire world. Though that was still a ways away due to how this instantaneous trade of information seemed to work.

From what I could figure out by reading, and using a computer (which Eva helped me learn how to use with a lot of teasing), there was something called a CCT. A giant Tower that the Kingdoms protected, and was usually next to an Academy. There were four in the entire world, and they magically sent information a set distance around the continent. Pretty convenient for the situation I found myself in, and would no doubt be incredibly useful to help Zelda find me. In fact, it was quite honestly perfect…

Except, from what I could find, not everything was sent everywhere.

As far as I could understand it, the CCT's were responsible for their own Kingdom. Information that would be relevant to a Kingdom, unless it was shared worldwide, would stay in the Kingdom. You couldn't even use the Scrolls to call someone from a different Kingdom unless you had a special connection found only in the CCT.

So even though the TV Crier in this Kingdom was talking about the earthquake and "The Wanderer", they might only mention the fact that there was an earthquake in another Kingdom.

It was like the Sheikah Towers, they could only give you information from and on their immediate surroundings. Anything else, you had to find or discover on your own.

So, if I was to get the word out that a green swordsman was going around killing Grimm at an incredible rate by word of mouth alone, I needed to be as important as an earthquake. A daunting task by any stretch of the imagination.

But definitely not impossible…

My ears twitched as I heard Eva coming down from just over me, as I moved a bit forward, giving her enough room to move around me. I felt the branch dip a bit, but not enough to snap the limb all together, so I didn't worry.

I just needed to do something just as important, if not more so. But the question was, how?

The answer I came up with was… well it was fairly basic.

Traveling through the Valley had given me some layout of the land, from the many rising hills, the dense forests that some Grimm ambush travelers in. Grimm were a constant threat in the Valley, but despite that, few ever attacked the villages or the Kingdom itself. The few dumb enough to do that were instantly killed by patrols around both, and easily at that. Which begged the question…

How were they getting in?

The Kingdom of Mistral was defended not by walls, but by the many mountains that surrounded the Valley. Six in all, with the highest being the very mountain Mistral was built on, which I think was called Mt. Haven, like the school. Very few types of Grimm could make the trip, and even fewer could survive the ever changing guards.

Yet, there were still hundreds for me to kill every time I venture out into the valley.

How?

My ears twitched again as I heard the familiar sound of a car moving into the driveway of the house. I glanced over the side, unable to see over the house, but still able to hear the familiar voices of Will and Carol get out of the car.

"Eva," I called out to the young girl under me, as she looked up with her powerful hawk eye. "Time to head back in. Your parents are back."

"Really!?" She asked, as she scrambled up the tree and back to the window, moving like a fish through water. She didn't even give me a second glance as she left, excited to see her parents again.

I chuckled to myself, planning dinner in my head as I slowly headed back into the house. Getting in was a little more difficult for me than it was for Eva, due to the size difference, but I managed. Before heading down though, I unstrapped my scabbard and left it on my bed, so that Will wasn't uncomfortable in his own home. I also made sure some of my new injuries were hidden better so that there wasn't any worrying about how I got them.

Then, I headed downstairs, easily moving down said stairs with my legs healed up just a bit more. Just in time to see Eva tackle Will as soon as he walked through the door, as he smiled brightly at the girl. All as I too smiled at the scene…

Seeing a blonde boy reunited with his Mother and Father, and even his new baby sister…

I blinked and the scene was gone, replaced again by the reality before me as I walked to the kitchen, a bright feeling inside of me.

What wa-

"So," Joseph interrupted my thoughts, stepping next to me as he opened the fridge with a smile. "What'll it be this time, Chef?"

I smiled back at him, the memory already forgotten as I began to give instructions for ingredients for the meal I had been making.

This had become a commonplace event as time went on, Joseph helping me with making dinner. It was mostly out of consideration, what with the fact that I had a broken arm, and was unable to make the more complicated dishes in my repertoire. But it was also Joseph just being a good guy, helping around the house where he can, and being vigilant of the family.

Perhaps that was why he noticed it before I did.

As I was getting the proper pots and pans to cook the food, I felt Joseph stiffen next me, his eyes sharpening into blades. I raised a brow, curious about his sudden shift in demeanor, when I followed his gaze myself, before feeling my own muscles tense.

The car… It had a huge gash on it's side, not from a crash or an accident that might have been on a carriage.

It was claw marks. Moving vertically down the side back seat door.

We turned to look at each other, warrior to soldier, knowing exactly what it was that had caused those marks without having to ask. It didn't take long for us to observe the two who had been driving the car, looking for any obvious signs of injuries they could have. I was the first to relax when I couldn't see anything, but Joseph still wasn't satisfied, as he forced a grin on his face.

"Well," He began, setting everything in his hand down on the counter as he faced the family, as I took a glance at them. "How was the trip back?"

Both Carol and Will froze as soon as he had asked, before they too forced a grin, as Carol answered back with ease.

"Nothing eventful." She lied easily, as she looked around, searching for anything to change the topic. She found one easily enough, as she looked down at her daughter with a quirked brow. "Eva, why are there leaves and sticks in your hair?"

Eva's face as she got caught would've been hilarious any other day, as she pointed her finger at me and stuttered out that it was my fault. But today wasn't a normal day, as I turned to the food and looked at Joseph as I started to prepare my meal.

"Does that usually happen?" I asked, as I began the preparations, setting up the oven and filling a pot with water.

"No," Joseph responded easily, as took said pot and put it over the burner, before beginning to cut some vegetables I handed him. "It doesn't. Usually the patrol scares them off before they do anything. Something's …. different."

I frowned as I slowly mulled over the news… it couldn't be…

"Do you…" I hesitated, looking down at the ground beef I had asked to be bought, feeling my broken arm ache just a little. "Do you think it's the Wanderer? I… I heard he's been killing a lot of them over the past week."

"Could be." Joseph answered honestly, as I gripped the edge of the counter, feeling my fingers whitening as I did. "Doubt it though. If that was all it took, this would be happening a lot more every time patrols do their monthly clean up of the Valley. It was probably just the bad luck of the draw. You shouldn't worry though, I taught Carol how to shoot when she was a teenager, and I gave her my rifle when she was eighteen. She, and by extension William, will be fine. "

I felt some relief creep into my chest, as my hand loosened up a bit. Still though, something about what he said didn't sit right with me…

"Monthly?" I asked, giving him a raised brow as I stopped my meal preparation, turning to him completely. "I thought Grimm could only get in over the mountains?"

"Ohohoho?" Joseph laughed, as he too stopped his food preparation, giving a smile at my expense. "You don't know? I thought a traveler like you would've heard about the Scarlet Caves at least once. They're supposed to be a landmark of Mistral."

"Scarlet Caves?" I asked, feeling my interest pique, as my curiosity was burning to know. Was this the reason there were so many Grimm in the Valley? I remember going into a cave once, but there were just a lot of Grimm in them. As soon as I got close, they stampeded out and almost trampled me to death. I was lucky that I could ride one of them out before I was completely crushed.

"They're a cave system that stretches all over the Valley," Joseph told me, as he smiled, looking like he was thinking about how he should tell me this. "Existed long before the Kingdom was built, and was used to go too and from outside the mountains, before Bullheads were built. In fact, save for climbing the mountains, they were the only way inside and out. But nowadays, nobody goes into them, on account of the curse."

"Curse?" I asked, as Joseph smiled in a purposefully creepy way, turning his head slowly towards me.

"Legend has it that over two hundred years ago, a rumor of a great treasure sleeping in the bottom of the cave circled the Kingdom. " He began his tale, as he grabbed his Scroll and turned on a light, letting deep shadows cut into his face. "The King at the time, a vain and greedy man who believed that such treasure should be his alone, gathered an army to search every corner of the cave. Huntsmen, would-be warriors, and even children joined in the search, hoping to make at least part of that treasure their own."

"But, as days passed… not a single soul came out of those caves…"

"The kind daughter of the King, a warrior in her own right, decided to look for them and bring them and perhaps even the treasure back to the surface. But the King, not only vain but cowardly as well, sealed the entrances of each cave, fearing that inside of them now lay a powerful Grimm that could slay armies. Years went by, with each cave still sealed by a large stone, even as people swore they heard screams coming from within."

"But one day… every stone covering each entrance was split in half, as a voice crept out from within…"

" 'I curse you, Father… I curse you, and any who seek this treasure, to suffer as I have.' "

"The King, terrified for his life, ran away from the kingdom, his cousin taking over for him as he left everything behind. The caves, their original name now lost to time, were given the name of the Princess, before she too was forgotten. And still, lulled in by the promise of treasure, warriors seek the bounty for their own. So much blood was spilled there, so many lost, that the cave floor became scarlet, as the creatures of Grimm came out in the thousands…"

"Some say if you get close enough… you can still hear the Princess… as she screams in wrath over her bitter fate… Others say they can hear her begging for help, promising riches and rewards for any who do… but no one can be sure…."

"For no one… escapes the Scarlet Caves…"

He turned off the light on his Scroll, smirking at my face as I gave him a nod of understanding.

Something like that existed in this world too… well, if magic and Grimm Queen existed, why can't curses? It made complete sense in my mind. A treasure and a despicable curse…

For some reason, Joseph was holding back his laughter as he looked at me…

"That's not true!"

I quickly turned to the source of the voice, as Eva stood in front of us, pouting with a head of freshly brushed hair. Carol and Will were standing next to her, seemingly absorbed into the story that Joseph had been telling as well. Not for the same reasons I was, but more like they were listening to a story by the campfire.

"Course it is," Joseph told the young girl as he put his hand on her head, easily destroying the brushed hair as he tussled it back and forth. "Your great Grandfather told me the same story, warning me never to go near those caves, no matter how curious I got. Heck, I even told your mother that story when she was your age!"

"Curses don't exist!" Eva spoke, adamant in her answer as she crossed her arms, glaring at the old man. "Daddy said so! He said that's just a story to scare kids so they aren't stupid!"

With barely a thought, we all turned toward the man in question, as both Joseph and Carol raised a brow. His ears immediately fell from the attention, even as he himself seemed to take the glances without any trouble.

Huh, he really didn't like being in the spotlight.

"What?" He said as he looked around at all of us, his huge form giving off none of the energy you would expect. "I wasn't lying, was I?"

As soon as she thought we were accusing him of lying, Eva crossed her arms and glared at both her mother and her popop, and even me. It was an unrelenting force gazing upon us, all in an attempt to save her father some face in the family.

I thought it was adorable. The rest of the family was actively terrified, as what equated to an angry hawk was glaring at them with a gaze too intense to be called human.

"Ok ok ok," Joseph relented, as he tried to calm the girl down, and try to get her to stop glaring at them. I resisted the urge to laugh at them, but that was broken when Eva puffed out her chest and smirked in victory. "Yes, some of what I said was just a story… but not all of it."

That seemed to pull everything back in, as I crushed the urge to continue laughing, feeling the weight behind Joseph's words.

"I don't know if there was a King or even a princess in reality," He told us all honestly, as he looked every one of us in the eye, as if attempting to impart the seriousness of his words into our very souls. "But there was a treasure. Stupid kids and big shot Huntsmen have gone missing looking for it, soon followed by relatives looking for them, all of which never return. Why it was called the Scarlet Caves was also true, and even the fact that it had two previous names was true. Though, those historical names were lost in the war, and may never be recovered. Even the fact that no one can guard those caves to stop Grimm coming out, because they too go missing, is a proven fact at this point."

"So," Joseph began, as he turned to every person in the room with a serious eye, as everyone but me stood a little straighter. "None of you can go near those caves. Whatever's in there is deadly, and has likely killed everyone who has gone in. So promise me you won't go in, ok Eva?"

"…" Eva was hesitating a bit, as I could see her hands tremble a bit as she heard her grandfather talk so seriously. Still, she eventually nodded, as Joseph seemed to sigh in relief about getting it across to her.

"You're a smart girl,," Joseph said, tussling the girl's hair again as she fumed, trying to slap his hand away. "I know you take my words, and your parent's very seriously. But I'm going to repeat myself again…"

"Going into those caves is basically suicide. Only a complete and utter moron would go walking in after they heard everything I had said."

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The cave wasn't red.

It was the middle of the night, half an hour since I had snuck out of the Church-Lee house. A task that had been rather easy with the tree giving me both an easy way to enter and leave the house from. After a hop over the fence, I was able to make it towards the valley with ease, the strange full moon in this world lighting my way.

The journey itself was almost uneventful, only the odd Wolfos Grimm (which I had since learned were called Beowolfs) either dumb enough to attack me and be killed, or smart enough to ran away. I wasn't sure how, but they seemed to know me, cause as soon as they saw my sword and tunic, they ran like a Demon was nipping their ankles.

After that, it was only a matter of discovering the cave once again, and honestly?

I was less than impressed.

Taking a moment to look at the area, the 'cave' was more of a hole in the ground. It was right under one of the larger hills in the valley, about three miles from the guarded wall of Mistral, with no life other than moss growing around it. There was nothing ominous I could feel from its exterior, making it definitely the least cursed cavern I've been in.

Which, of course, made me ask…

"What exactly am I doing right now?" I asked myself, resting my sword in the ground as it sunk easily into the hard dirt. The sword pulsed slightly as it did, as I brought a hand to my face, feeling myself sigh.

This was simply desperate. A cursed cave, with a cursed treasure? That's how I was going to become more noteworthy? It feels like I was starting from the very beginning again, except now I had the Blade of Evil's Bane. Even if the story was true, this was… desperate can be the only word for it.

But it would work, right? 'Man discovers the fabled treasure of the Scarlet Caves!', 'Wanderer destroys the curse of the Scarlet caves!'. If that doesn't go world wide, then this was all hopeless, and I should just go back to looking for Zelda the usual way.

Well, maybe not the usual way.

I shook my head and laughed at myself, turning my frown back into the usual smile. Still, this wouldn't be the first time a small rumor or story had led me to something important. In fact, that was how I got quite a few of my items, from bottles all the way to the Lens of Truth.

I gave a nod, reassuring myself with my actions, as I pulled my sword back out from the ground, it's blade softly glowing in the night. I felt it pulse again reassuringly, as a smile grew on my face as I felt it, squeezing it slightly as if to answer back.

Without any other words, I headed in, holding out my sword as if it were a torch to light my way. I also pulled out a simple compass I always had, letting it rest inside the sling I had brought with me. It wasn't much, but hopefully it will help me find my way, as I noted I was heading inside in an immediate north direction. For safety's sake, I also tied it around the strap of the sling, making sure it was snug and unable to move.

I felt my feet meet hard stone, the sound echoing across the caverns as they remained still and lifeless. Nothing moved, not one reaction to the sound as I delved deep into the cave, the light of the moon disappearing completely.

Thum…

My ear twitched as I turned around, hearing a sound too quiet to comprehend for even my ears, as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I turned, seeing the light of the moon enter the cave, scanning the entrance for any signs of movement.

But there was nothing… no sound, no movement, nothing…

I glared at the entrance, looking for anything that could've been the cause, before I turned back around. All while paying no mind to the sound I had heard, as the cave seemed to drown in silence, my steps the only life within.

The glow from the sword was barely enough to see, as light seemed to be nonexistent here in the cave. The deeper I went, the darker my sword seemed as the air became cooler and cooler, goosebumps traveling up my arm. The walls were close to, as I often felt my arm brush against a wall, the sound echoing for what seemed like miles.

It was so dark that I almost ran into a fork in the cave, as my sword smacked against the stone with a loud clang. I actually had to cringe at how loud it seemed, as it bounced everywhere within the cave, no doubt warning something that I was here.

But nothing answered back…

That was all that seemed to happen in this cave. Find a fork, choose a direction, make a sound that would always echo, and then…

Nothing…

The cave seemed to brighten a bit though, not because there was light, but because my eyes had adjusted to the dark. The gentle glow of my sword stretched farther and farther, but all it revealed was a dank, dreary emptiness within. No scratches from Grimm, no signs of anyone ever having set foot here, not even a pebble out of place…

It wasn't natural… but I suppose neither are cursed caves.

Passing the time, I made sure to remember each left or right I had taken, making sure that I would be able to find my way back if I ever needed it. Despite that though, nothing ever seemed to change from cavern to cavern. They all looked the same, no matter how many times I attempted to separate them in my mind.

This didn't scare me though, as the Lost Woods was exactly the same, as each path was as identical as the last.

So why were the hairs on my arm still standing?

Thum…

I stabbed backwards, hearing the quiet sound once more, incomprehensible and almost impossible to hear even with my own ears. However, only air was struck, as nothing was there…

But something definitely was… if only as a feeling…

I attempted to pull out the Eye of Truth, trying to see if my target was invisible to the naked eye, a spirit that was undetected. Yet, I felt a headache, as my pouch was still spinning in empty space, unable to be grabbed or pulled out into my hands.

I almost cursed under my breath, as I held a hand up to my head, concentrating as hard as I could in the dark space. With nothing else to focus on, I closed my eyes, trying to imagine all of my items with perfect clarity…

But they wouldn't budge, even after a few minutes of concentration, they were still as impossible to grab as before… Their image in my mind just spun and spun, making them too blurry to see clearly.

I clicked my teeth, the frustration making me forget how far such noise traveled in this cave, as it bounced off each wall. Knowing my luck, I expected something to jump back out of me, attack me while my guard was down and such.

But, yet again, nothing…

I took another look around, trying again to see if I could find what was causing my apprehension. But there was nothing to see, just some rocks and the rough cave walls.

I shook my head and turned around, letting myself trudge back down the path. If there was a treasure, it would be in the deepest parts of this cave, so I knew I had to go even deeper.

And deeper I went, as I kept my out for anything that reflected the glow of my sword, moving left…

Before something finally seemed to move.

It was instant, an attack that almost didn't register in the low glow of my sword to me, as I rushed forward to avoid something. Without a word, I tried to slash at my opponent, getting my feet into a proper stance…

But my sword caught itself on the cave walls, showering my attacker with sparks as they revealed themselves to me.

Or at least… it revealed itself before slowly turning white in pain.

I looked down at the small creature, watching as its eight black legs swung wildly in the air in pain, their black fur slowly disappearing into a white dust. In the center was a bone white body, armored to defend itself from attacks, where the legs connected. A thorax of the same color was behind that, before that also started to disappear in white dust, as tiny shrieks of pain followed suit and ceased as well.

That is, until two more thumps were heard behind me, as two identical looking Grimm fell to the ground, their shrieks silent but echoing endlessly in the cave. It was then that I realized what I was looking at, as five more fell to the cave floor, slowly and painfully dying.

'Skulltulas?" I thought to myself, as I attempted to turn one over with my blade, trying to see the back of the spider without touching it. As soon as I did though, it flashed white and dissolved instantly, as the others near intensified their screams, before collapsing into dust.

They weren't Skulltulas though, just like the Beowulf's weren't Wolfos. These were just another type of Grimm, easily destroyed by the power of the Master Sword, just like many of the Grimm I had encountered so far.

Eight more of these spider Grimm fell dead, as I turned my sword up to the ceiling, trying to find where they were all coming from. But the ceiling of the cave didn't have any holes these large Grimm could crawl through…

So where did they come from?

I stared at the ceiling as hard as I could, trying to find the answer to my question…

When I heard something behind me, quiet and barely echoing within the cave, almost like I was just imagining it… but it kept going, like the sound of wet paper dropping to the floor, only infinitely quieter…

I turned around, as behind me another set of spiders dropped dead from my sword mere presence. But I didn't focus on them, as I slowly attempted to approach the sound…

Thum…

It stopped. Deathly silence returned to the cave, as approached at a quicker pace, feeling my hairs stand on end. When I arrived…

Nothing once more. Not a pebble out of place…

I felt a chill go down my spine, looking for something, anything that could have made that sound. But the more I looked, the less I saw…

I turned around again, trying to see if anything had moved past me, but nothing was there, the spider Grimm having already died and ceasing their cry. Making sure though, I headed down the cave once more, looking around the place I had heard that sound…

But once again, there was nothing to find. All there was was simply a silent path, and a dead end to said path. Seeing that there was nowhere else to go, I turned back around, using the glow of my sword to find my way back.

However, the further I moved, the further something seemed to set in. The cause, I wasn't too sure, as I kept moving straight, trying to find the path I had come from…

Only to realize it was gone.

"Wha-?" I whispered out loud, as the sound barely echoed across the walls, my mind frozen in disbelief. I shined my sword against the right wall of the cave, searching for the way out…

But it had vanished without a trace. There was nothing to find…

I took a deep breath, as the air seemed to drop a few degrees… a disappearing door way… it wasn't impossible. I had seen invisible doors before, so this wasn't a stretch to believe. Though… maybe I just missed it!

So, turning back on my heel, I jogged back down the path I came, dragging my sword across the wall to see if something felt different. The scrapping sound would echo for quite a while, and might just bring more spiders my way, but it would be worth it to find th-

I gasped in pain as I ran head first into something, seeing stars in my eyes as I dropped my sword to the side. I quickly put my hand to my head and opened my eyes…

As a dead end stood in front of me… the same dead end that forced me to turn around in the first place.

I stared wide eyed at the wall of rock, unable to comprehend what was going on here. So, I tried again, moving as slowly as possible to find the missing cave entrance…

But no matter how far I went, the right cave path was still missing, and with it…

My only way out.

Shishishishi…

Once again, I bared my blade towards the only way forward, all hair standing on end as I heard… what was that? It couldn't be…

Shishishishi….

A laugh…?

"Who's there?!" I shouted, cringing as the sound echoed in my head, sword ready and pointing down the tunnel. Yet, nothing responded, as the sound from my shouts eventually died within the walls of the cave.

I stood there for what must've been five minutes, attempting to hear whatever it was that had made such a sound. Perhaps it was the Princess in the curse, laughing at me as she trapped me in whatever maze she had made in these dark tunnels?

I tried once again for the Lens of Truth, attempting to take it out of my pouch once more, hoping to use it to uncover whatever was happening here.

And finally… progress seemed to be made…

The spinning and nauseating feeling slowly pulled back, as one item in my pouch seemed to finally s-

It was an itch at the top of my head, and the feeling of a looming shadow that told me I needed to move. For whatever reason, a part of me told me to just let it grab me, so I could return to the entrance, but another told me to dodge!

Rolling away with my left shoulder, I guarded my right arm from any damage as a deafening slam sounded off from behind me. Turning with my sword brandished out in front of me, I saw a new opponent.

It was the same as those other Spider demons, only much bigger this time. Each furry leg was a lance with a sharp white tip, white armor around on the main body with spikes shooting out of the top, and a mask with eight eyes in the front and scarlet red tribal markings. It lashed out at me, it's fangs dripping in what was no doubt venom, as it gave a screeching cry that, if not for the fact my ears were already ringing, would've surely caused me to cringe.

I took a step back as it stabbed at me with one of its leg, before it struck the cave floor, piercing the stone with ease. Gnashing it's fangs, it propelled itself forward, reaching to give me a hearty bite on the shoulder. My first instinct was to dodge to the side, but the cave walls made that impossible, and I wouldn't be able to squeeze past the spider without it slamming its body against me.

So, I held my sword to block its fangs, struggling with just one arm to hold back the strength within the Giant Skulltula. I didn't need to though, as the Skulltula immediately pulled back as if it were burned, it's fangs slowly melting away before my very eyes. Despite that though, it didn't turn white in the presence of my blade like the little spiders did, or many of the other Grimm. Perhaps it had something to do with the strength of the creature?

I couldn't think about that yet though, as the Grimm attempted to stab me with its legs again, as I was quickly reminded of what they did to the floor. Without a thought, I dodged those legs, stabbing at the Skulltula so that I didn't strike my sword against the wall like last time. Seeing this, it immediately backed away, before doing something a little more interesting.

As it backed away, it quickly climbed upside down on the ceiling, the Venom from its mouth dripping onto the floor as it looked down. It was just out of my reach too, but I wasn't out of its…

Easily lifting its front half, the Skulltula let four of its legs reach off of the ceiling, as the rest hugged to the rock, leaving it exactly where it was. All as it lashed out at me, stabbing its legs at me as quickly as it could in its position.

I clicked my teeth as the legs flew, aiming at anything it could hit on me, as I moved out of the way as effectively as possible. A few of them scratched me, tearing the cloth of my tunic but never quite piercing the chainmail. Still, they left more than a light few bruises, before finally giving me a chance…

The weight had been too much for the Skulltula, it's legs shaking from holding all of the weight as it moved around so much on the ceiling. Without warning, one of the legs gave out from over it, as it flailed in the air in an attempt to grasp the ceiling once more. Not wasting such a chance, I cut off one of the legs of the Grimm, as it screamed in pain at the loss of its limb. Said limb melted into white light, while said light crawled up the stump, as the creature fell with a loud slam once again,

Before it could recover from its pain, I flipped into the air, letting my sword point down as my full weight was behind it. Before it could get up once more, the Ending Blow was dealt into the center of the Grimm's body, as it sank through it before sinking into the stone underneath it. Immediately after it screamed in pain, noticeable white cracks appeared all over its skin, before finally…

It exploded into white light, just like the others.

I pulled the sword out of the rock, the sound of the creature still echoing in my head as I held out my blade for light.

That couldn't have been a coincidence…

"Is this part of the curse?" I asked no one, as I continued down the cave, letting my blade guide the way. "I don't remember anything about spiders in the story… unless that Princess was a Spider Faunus…."

I simply shrugged my shoulders as nothing answered back, a chill still present in my spine over how… empty this cave was. Whatever this curse was, it wasn't going to stop me. I just needed to find its source and destroy it like I always had to in these situations. No big deal…

"If you really are here," I spoke out loud gently, my voice carrying in the deep abyss before me, my sight gently taken by the shadow. "Then you should know I'm not here to take the treasure."

As I was talking, I walked forward letting my feet gently fall on the hard stone, a part of my mind telling me what a bad idea it was to talk to the spirit causing the curse. My limited, but still vast in comparison, experience told me that whatever caused these things was not in a mood to talk.

But it filled the empty silence… it made the cave around me much less suffocating than it did normally. I couldn't even see the walls anymore, as the tunnel got wider and wider, leaving me with nothing but the floor.

It was just too dark… it couldn't be anything but a dreadful curse…

But I was never alone… my partners and I will reach the end of this cave. Even if they had foolishly lost their lanterns…

"I know you're here…" I spoke easily, hearing my partner's heavy breaths as their scrapes, bruises, and burns slowly took their toll. "Come out and face us!"

Something shifted in the dark, as I quickly turned my blade, letting it slice through the shadow. But, despite how hard I looked, nothing was there…

Only silence and shadow confronted my senses, as the freaking copycat slinked in the shadows. I could feel the sweat from the heat dripping, as the unfamiliar sense of danger forced itself down my spine… No doubt it was the same for them, as we stood back to back, searching for our enemy.

"Guys smarter than I gave him credit for…"

"URGGH… So Annoying! Get out here so I can smash your head in!"

"W-we just need to stay ca-"

We all turned as the shadows shifted, one of us shaking as it transformed into an all too familiar face…

Our face.

"There you are!" I shouted, brandishing my sword and striking out into the dark as sparks bounced across the stone floor. Light shown across the dreary cave for a split second, before all was once again lost by oppressive shadow…

I was sweating… gasping for breath where I didn't need it, wincing at burns that didn't exist… My sword was pulsing in my hand, as a comforting whisper reached my ear, but that was drowned out by the blood rushing through my head.

'What was…' I thought to myself, gritting my teeth as a familiar shout echoed across the empty cave walls. 'Am I… dreaming? Who was… Why did I?'

I looked down to the floor, seeing nothing but the cave floor beneath me, as the burn slowly left my body. My heart was beating rapidly, as I swore it too was echoing within the cave walls…

I lifted my sword once again, as the sweat across my body chilled me to the bone. In front of me was not a figure in shadow, but actually a natural column of rock. A large cut was now in the center of it, so deep that it was almost just a stalactite and stalagmite. And beyond that…

Nothing.

There was no floor, there was no ceiling, there was… nothing beyond it. From here, the cave dropped off to the end of the world, and became only an abyss.

I immediately took a step back, feeling one of my toes hang off such a ledge. I felt my heart jump in my chest as I peered off the edge, seeing the nothing that could have awaited me…

Before taking a deep breath and turning around, looking for a different path to take in this Goddess fors-

Something ran me through.

I roared in agony, feeling my stomach be pierced by a blade exactly like my own, feeling bile and blood mix as it poured out of my skin. I could hear them, my partners yelling in the dark, but I couldn't comprehend it.

No… my focus wasn't on the three me's behind me…

Rather, it was drawn to the one in front of me.

Dark hair, red eyes, and a sword so similar but so obviously different. He was glaring up at me, his face twisted into a horrible mockery of my own. But it wasn't me… it was my body, but something so easily twisted by any ray of light it touches.

I stepped back, feeling the blade wrench itself out with a twisted smirk from my shadow, turning to the others with a glint in his eye.

"One down…" He began, as his form twisted once more, disappearing as I lost my footing, falling backwards to the ground. Only…

There was no ground. There wasn't anything at all as I felt gravity take me, as a voice whispered in my head.

"And now, the rest." Shadow Link spoke, one step closer to finishing his four step plan…

And as that whisper fell away, something else took its place, as lights and figures danced in the endless fall. Zoras, Deku Scrubs, Gorons, Ocarinas, unspeakable shapes of all sizes graced my vision as I fell straight down. It felt like there was no end, and there was nothing I could say, as space itself disappeared around me ,twisting and turning.

Thoughts left me as my life flashed before my eyes, images of the people I had met gracing my mind as they were painfully ripped away by the next. So many people who wouldn't know what had happened to me, as I fell, and fell, and fell…

Reality splashed around me like a wave, as a flower rushed into my vision. I gasped, shielding my face preparing for pain…

Before the flower shimmered out of existence in beautiful light, as I could see it just above me, beyond the water line. My shadow, screaming at me to keep swimming, telling me that I was an utter idiot, my hat at my side. Fallen off in a struggle with a Shell Blade, after accidentally breathing in the lakes water, filling and burning my lung as the chill surrounded my body. I wanted to throw up, as I just kept swimming with as much strength as possible in my dying body. Before finally I-

I gasped for air, trying to fill up my lungs with its fresh grace, only to find they were filled already. Immediately, I heaved, my body cold as it burned in the inky blackness I was familiar with. Pain wracked my body, as I struck my chest with my left hand, feeling the water shake in my lung. That is, before it emptied, as barely enough water to fill a cup splashed onto the floor, as I gasped in pain, feeling the chilly air ease my lungs.

But it didn't ease my heart, as adrenaline ached in my left hand, gripping the Master Sword like it was my last life line.

"What was…" I rasped out, feeling my body simply ache from the fall, as I tried to force slow breaths in an attempt to calm down. "Is this… is this the curse?"

I propped up my sword, as the dull light bounced off the water like a mirror, nothing seen beneath its slow waves from my descent.

Drip…

A single drop of water echoed within the new cave I found myself in, as I rolled onto my back in an attempt to calm down, feeling my heart beat slow. I was still half way in the water, my legs completely submerged as I looked up at the nothing that was the ceiling. I squinted, trying to see where I had come from, but nothing could be seen…

Well… actually…

I raised a brow, seeing a dull blue glow above me, stretching through the void despite all odds. Strange, I didn't see that before….

I shook my head, letting such a thought go. It wasn't important right now, what was important…

Was this curse….

What were those images… a younger, darker, version of me stabbing me, lights and shapes and feelings I'd never seen or felt before. I hadn't even drowned before I came to this world, cause Zelda always warned me about being careful when I wore the Zora Armor underwater.

Drip…

So what were those images? Something others had seen before they died, taunting me before I met a similar fate as them? Or perhaps something else, just images that this Princess was trying to curse me with. But if that was the case, what did that have to do with Shadow and his first attempt on my life?

I sighed again, feeling the gentle ripple of water touch my skin, I slowly sat myself up, grabbing my blade as I did. Hundreds of droplets echoed across the cave as I did, as everything was soaked down to the bone. The chilly air certainly didn't help, as I felt my skin rise and teeth attempt to chatter, trying to ward myself from the cold.

I ignored all that though, knowing it would go away as soon as I started moving through these caves. So, I raised my blade, hoping that some of the light would bounce off the water and give me a clearer view.

Despite that though, it was exactly like it was above, completely void of any light save for the one I brought with me. Even my blade was simply a line in the reflective surface of the pool before me, revealing nothing I didn't already know existed. I gave a sigh, hearing it explode across the empty pool, as the sound of my heart beat softly thundered in my chest. There was nothing but void and emptiness meeting my gaze, so deep that not even my blade could pierce it.

My heart sped a little, feeling the suffocating air around me close in, before I took a deep breath, holding my blade forward. The ink I found myself swimming in cut so cleanly in front of it that I swore I heard the darkness scream. Even still, it only graced the barest inch in front of me, before everything dark corner bled back into a place, fighting for dominance.

"If you can," I found myself whispering, speaking to the very sword I wielded, my grip tightening upon the guiding light. "Glow a little brighter. I need it now more than ever…"

Drip…

A pulse of blue light, and a sound like wind chimes pulsed through the cave, the sound so quiet it barely echoed within the stone walls. It was the briefest of instances, but I thought I could finally see within this abyss, see the colors that graced the walls…

But something else caught my attention in that pale blue light… it wasn't the reflective water that seemed to stretch with no end, nor the seeming endless sky above me…

It was the floor… the floor that even in such soft blue light screamed a vivid crimson beneath me.

Without a word, only a silent gasp, I pointed my blade to the floor, seeing the dry and flaked crimson stains beneath me. Too many for dozens, maybe even hundreds of bodies to have created and stained such a massive floor. A chill rammed itself down my spine, as I swallowed my salvia, hearing it echo in this expansive cavern.

I stood there and stared for a moment, feeling the new and oppressive nature of the cave I stood in. A drop of sweat rolled down my cheek, as I tightened my grip on my blade, feeling it's warm handle brace against my skin. For a while, I didn't dare to move, merely standing there while straining my ears, searching for any sound of movement.

When nothing appeared though, I glared down at the floor, before looking forward with my blade held high. Something had caused this, curse or otherwise, and I doubt that there was no trace left behind. If it was a vengeful spirit turned Poe, or even just a monster, I could tell with ease.

Drip…

I marched forward, my steps echoing in my ears. I moved slowly but with purpose, making sure I didn't bump into another wall, or fall down another hole. The cave floor itself was smooth, almost slick from how smooth it was, probably on account of the water collecting here. I made certain my footing was sure, not risking any more falls than necessary, on keeping an eye out for any spirits.

It took a while of blind searching, but I eventually found that the room was incredibly large, the pool of water centered in the middle. It had many entrances and exits, each one headed in many separate directions, too many to track. It was like I was on the edge of a giant bowl, one with many cracks to head down to the base. Some made with time, smoothly carved by nature's greatest blade…

And others, with jagged edges, forcefully made… Like they were ripped open by something… unnatural. Perhaps there were miners here many years ago, who dug into these caves looking for resources for the Kingdom above…

So why was this chill crawling down my spine, as these tunnels felt all too… familiar…

My thoughts were cut off though, as in one of these cave entrances, I found something…

Or rather… many things.

Drip…

Bones. Hundreds of bones, scattered everywhere one could look in the pitch darkness, broken, shattered, crunching beneath my feet. They were in too many pieces to be sure, but… they were large, too large for any small animals that could be in here.

I cringed at the sound, hearing bone scrape against stone in an eerie music echoing horrendously in my ears. Every step I swept the bones aside, their clattering also echoing, but tolerable in comparison to that horrid screech.

But something didn't match that sound as I swept them to the side, as a glint of something reflected the light in my hand. I knelt down, grabbing what seemed to be a piece of rusted metal, carved and shaped with care into what seemed to be a blossom of some kind.

I lifted a brow and looked around, searching for any similar emblems on the floor. When I did, there were truly too many to count that I could find, each with its own unique design and shape, even material. It got to the point that I couldn't possibly hold even a quarter of them in my arms.

That was when an idea came to mind…

Taking one of the small metal emblems, I slowly moved it to the magic pouch at my side, focusing on the basic design and shape as I did. Opening the pouch, I placed it inside before it completely disappeared.

Drip…

"Let's hope this works…" I said to myself, as I closed my eyes, stretching out my open hand. Focusing on the image in my mind, I attempted to gl into the impossible space in my mind and tried to pull out the emblem…

Only for weight, a familiar weight to drop into it, as I opened my eyes and stared.

It was the exact same emblem I had placed in my pouch.

I sighed in relief, feeling a weight taken off my shoulders as I focused on putting the emblem back into the pouch. With a blink of an eye, it disappeared completely like it was never there, only to reappear in the next blink. I chuckled a bit, as I collected more emblems and placed them inside my pouch, each one capable of coming out.

"It's not broken." I said in a whisper, feeling the urge to laugh in delight as it worked once more, capable of holding anything I needed once again. "It's not broken!"

I laughed again, picking up as many emblems I could find, testing each one to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Every single one worked, even when I pulled out more than one at a time, as I felt my heart soar. Does this mean I could get my old items back? I thought back to earlier when I tried to pull out another item, feeling the nausea slowly go away. Maybe this was the answer, maybe I could final-

Drip…

I froze in place, my heart stopping in my chest, as aged yellow bone, covered in moss greeted my vision. It was upright, leaning against the mouth of an open cave, it's clothes and even some of its bone almost entirely decomposed. The ribs were as thin as twigs, while the bottom of the jaw had completely fallen off… whoever this was didn't even have hands or feet anymore, as the wrist and ankle had completely deteriorated. All that was left was a pile of bone one might have called human a long time ago…

I stared at this corpse, one that had long since been dead, long before I had ever been in this world. The sight of this… it didn't horrify me like it might have done two years ago… but that was probably because I… I was used to such sights by this point. Soldiers burned to a crisp, only blackened bones left behind, or those that could still be recognized at a glance…

Perhaps… that was why my reaction was only…

"I found you…" I told the skeleton, kneeling next to it in a silent prayer, wishing her whatever peace she could find in the afterlife…

As I stared at a circlet that fell around her neck, and earrings that had long since fallen to the floor, both rusted almost beyond recognition.

"Princess…" I said with a sad smile, as I stood myself up, finishing my prayer as calmly as I possibly could.

Drip…

Nothing else was said as we stared at one another, her dead eyes looking up at me as her head leaned back against the wall. It was a moment that did not exist, that couldn't exist for the ages of time separating us. But it was there… a warrior meeting the very origin of the curse he attempted to face.

But words wouldn't work now…

I hovered my blade over the skeleton, letting only the barest inch separate cold steel with moldy bone. I waited, sensing if there was anything wrong with the air, feeling for any negative magic that could contain the curse…

But the longer I stood there, the more unlikely it seemed. For no matter how long I stood there… I couldn't feel anything, not even with the Blade of Evil's Bane at her throat.

"You're not the source of the curse…" I gently said with a sigh, as my words echoed in the halls of every cave. I pulled back my blade, letting it rest at my side as I looked down at the skeleton, the Princess of this kingdom. "You're just another victim, aren't you?"

Nothing answered my question, not even the echo of my own voice. Not one sound greeted my question, as I simply stared at the long departed soul before me.

Drip…

"Do you know anything?" I asked her, closing my eyes and focusing on my senses, trying to hear anything that could be said. "Anything that could help me? Whatever caused this curse… has trapped me along with you…."

"And, well…" I began with a smile, relaxing as I talked with this long dead warrior, my sword at my side. "Since I'm injured… I'm going to need all the help I can get." I joked, listening for the sound of any spirit I could hear.

But there was nothing to hear. Probably because… there was nothing there to hear what I said.

I sighed as I opened my eyes, looking down at the skeleton that was once the Princess of this Kingdom. She had passed on, it seems. Not like the other ghosts I had spoken with, and especially not like the cursed specters of the Shadow Temple.

Perhaps this was for the best though… A spirit that remains after death can't always keep its grip on reality, especially near a source of evil as powerful as this curse seemed to be. Whoever this Princess was, she should remain at peace, no longer haunted by her regrets.

So I stood up and turned around, ready to continue searching this cave. When I was done, I should probably head down one of the cave paths and look for the actual source of the curse.

Drip…

But which way was the question.

More than ten paths existed in this… I guess you could call it a nexus? Each one no doubt a winding labyrinth of twisting tunnels, confusing anyone who entered about which way they were going. Luckily, I had already packed a compass, which should give me some sense of where I was… going…

Looking down at my sling, the Compass was still tied to my sling, as the bandages were soaked completely through on my arm. I would need to replace those later, but that wasn't important right now.

The compass… it was just spinning…

It no longer gave the clear direction of North, it simply spun in place, stopping before spinning in the opposite direction. I shook it a bit, hoping that that would solve the problem, but it only spun faster and faster, like it was stuck in a tornado. No matter what I did, nothing seemed to force it to stay still, no matter how hard I tried.

I sighed, already used to the sound echoing in my ears, as I looked back up, picturing the nexus layout in my head. I could mark off some of the paths so I know where they are, or I co-

Drip…

The sound of something shattering forced me to turn around, blade ready as I attempted to defend whatever it was that was trying to attack me. I grit my teeth in pain, as I unintentionally moved my right arm, as if to prepare a shield. But I was ok…

Nothing was attacking me. Rather, it seemed that I finally had a direction to go.

Raising my sword, I looked down at the shattered remains of the Princess's skull, the body having miraculously fallen to the side. Many of her bones were cracked as well, the weakness of having been decayed so long making them as fragile as glass. But what drew my attention wasn't the state of her body…

But rather the arm that was splayed out, the stump without a hand pointing towards the center of the lake.

I looked toward the direction she was pointing, darkness filling my senses as nothing stuck out to me. Despite that though, I gave a smile, kneeling down and giving another prayer to the soul of the long lost Princess of Mistral.

"Thank you." I said simply, as I stood up straight, moving the direction the Princess had pointed out for me, steps falling softly on the hard stone.

Drip…

Without any hesitation, I waded my way through the underground pond, slowly feeling out the bottoms with my feet. From what I could feel, it wasn't that deep, as it only ever reached my waist, careful not to slip on the smooth stone beneath. It was slow going honestly at first, trying to understand why the Princess pointed me in this direction. I thought that perhaps there was some secret tunnel beneath the water, one that would lead me to the one responsible for this curse.

That wasn't what I found though.

In the very center of the pond, I felt my foot brush up against something loose, but much larger than a simple what I could feel, it seemed to be a… bag of some kind?

With no way to see what was underneath the water, I lowered my blade underneath it, letting the dull glow shed light upon whatever it was.

I stared once again, however, as I met the eyes of yet another skeleton. This one with a ring on his hand, and… cradling a bag in his arms?

I raised a brow, turning my head back the way I had come, questioning why the Princess had led me here. Was this what she wanted me to find? Another victim of the curse, whose life was taken from him far too soon? Or perhaps…

Drip…

Propping my blade against myself, I reached for the bag, keeping my head above the water as I did. It was a little difficult, but with a bit of luck, I managed to grab the strange texture of the bag, feeling it's smooth surface try to slip from between my fingers. Without another word, I pulled the bag above the water, placing it over my shoulder, and keeping it in place with only my head. Then, I began to walk out of the water, grabbing my blade and holding it above my head so I could see again.

As soon as I reached the shore, I moved directly next to a wall, making sure I didn't slip on the smooth cave floor. The bag itself was rather heavy, and from what I could feel, it only had a few objects inside of it. Many were small, one was at least the size of my head, and the other was rather large, making carrying the bag with only my head rather difficult.

As I set down my sword and grabbed the bag with my only good hand, feeling around for a latch or some kind of opening. Feeling the cord though, I could tell it was a bag tied close, rather tightly as it took a while to get it open with one hand. When I did though, what was inside the bag was rather interesting to see.

The easiest thing to see was what seemed to be seven large glowing beads that seemed to be made of some kind of crystal. There were only four different colors, but there was one red, three blacks, one white, and two yellow colored beads. I didn't quite understand what they were, as I could only assume they were some kind of expensive material the poor man wanted to keep safe.

That was, until I saw the larger object that was in the bag.

Pulling it out slowly with my one hand, I felt the weight of an item I myself was unfamiliar with, feeling the cool metal against my hand. In the light of the Master Sword, I could see it completely, the metal a little rusty, but still in working shape despite the conditions it was in.

Drip…

It was a metal crossbow, smaller than the ones some of the knights had used back in Kakariko, but nonetheless powerful in its own right. Yet, it was still quite strange… for one, the crossbow's stock was almost made entirely of metal instead of wood, making it a little heavy for its size. Secondly, it was colored a rather deep blue, with only the shorter than normal wood arms keeping their darker natural color, yet still reinforced by the cobalt metal. Only the stirrup on the front kept its natural metal color, while the trigger as well as the handle seemed to be made with a silver like metal, with a carving of what seemed to be an intricate lantern on the side.

In short, it was a fairly fancy light crossbow, with what seemed to be jewel pellets as it's ammunition.

I held the crossbow in one hand, feeling my aim shake heavily without the support of my other arm. Taking my right hand out of my sling for a minute, I gently rested the weapon on my forearm, keeping it steady as I aimed it a second time, feeling my arm ache slightly from the weight. That is, before setting it to the side and looking through the bag once more.

That was when I found the strangest part of my find.

I raised a brow as I reached inside of the bag, pulling out the odd object within that certainly didn't match the other contents of the bag. It was a simple, hardcover leather journal, it's pages yellowed and looking as if it would fall apart from holding the massive amount of pages within. It was clearly ancient, with no identifying features other than the leather cover which was worn and torn with age. But that wasn't what was strange.

It was when I opened it up, and discovered that the first hundred pages of the journal were torn out. Straight out of the book, with only a couple of ripped parts holding a few words leaving any hint to their existence at all. Stranger still, was the first words I found on the first page that hadn't been ripped out, written in large but graceful cursive.

"I can feel it watching me."

I raised a brow, looking over my shoulder for a quick glance into the abyss, before propping my blade against the cave wall, letting its light help me read.

"I have made a horrible mistake…the same mistake that the one who reads this has likely made, long after this demon takes me. Before I say anything else, I have two gifts for the one who shares my dreadful fate. The first is my weapon, Ryoshin, which is now yours to keep. It will serve me no more in this hell I find myself in."

I looked down at the crossbow at my side, Ryoshin she had called it, picking it up once again and holding it in my lap. I also turned my head to where I believed the corpse of the Princess to be, feeling her nonexistent eyes bore into me from afar. Forcing myself, I turned back to the book, reading the rest that was in this book.

"My second gift is this journal, my diary that has held almost my entire life in its pages, of which you see have been ripped from the book to protect the secrets I had kept within. It will be of little use, but… I hope it gives comfort to either the one reading, or the next writer of its pages.

"I don't have much time. I can't hear them, but I know it's coming. It always does. I won't make it, but I won't let someone else meet this fate.

It's hiding something. Something big. That's why it built this place, creating a labyrinth, so that no one cou-

It's here. I hear the laugh. Listen, please! She's afraid, I don't know how it is possible, but I feel it. She wouldn't do this if she wasn't, she wouldn't have changed this cave into her lair otherwise. Something is here, and it may be the key t-"

It ended there. Despite the large amount of space left, there were no more written words to find on the rest of the page. Only a few wet stains remained in the book, yellowed and marked.

The laugh… I had heard it too… so these were her final moments…

I glared down at the book, reading it over again to make sure I got everything in my head. It was hiding something, she was afraid…but who was she? And if she was protecting something, why would she even let people in?

I turned the page, hoping to find more answers to solve my questions.

But all that was here were… wishes.

"I want to get out of here."

"Please, I can't stay here!"

"Let me out! Let me out!"

"I hear her. The curse is re-"

"I wanna go home…"

Hundreds of short words, some cut short in their last moments, others praying, hoping for a way out. Some even had large marks dragged across the page, as if… something had forced them away.

The emptiness of the cave rang in my ears as I kept reading, my hand almost crushing the few papers that remained in the book. It was… there were no words for it. A pit had formed in my stomach, as my skin pricked with energy while my hair stood on end.

What could have done this?

"Why did I come here? Was it so bad to want the treasure? Was it so bad to want to leave my old life behind!? Why did it have to be like this? Why here, why in Jo-"

Drip…

I froze, my entire body chilling to the core as I turned to the sound I had heard from the lake. I couldn't move… not a single inch as fear grabbed hold of my heart.

Without a word, I put Ryoshin away in my item pouch, along with the ammunition and the journal, grabbing my sword with white knuckles.

Something was wrong.

My muscles tightened as I stood completely straight, my blade out in front of me as I felt my toes curl. Without a word, I stepped forward, hearing my footsteps clearly echo, but listening for a different set.

Without knowing it, I found myself at the edge of the water, feeling the absolute silence around echo further than sound could ever reach.

Why had the dripping stopped?

Drip…

I blinked as the only sound in here reached my ears, shattering my surroundings into an echo beyond imagination. It was too loud to miss, too loud to possibly ignore in this complete darkness that surrounded me.

So why had it stopped? Why did the only sound in this cave cease?

And why did this familiar feeling pierce my back?

I held my breath, feeling that strange tickle behind me, the sensation of Chu-Chu jelly gliding over my back forcing me to shiver. I couldn't stand it, but I couldn't move…

She would kill me if I did.

The grip on my blade tightened, as breath caught in my throat, forcing myself to look down at my dull reflection in the pool. There was nothing else I could do… it was the only way to see her without turning around.

Drip…

She had been hanging on the ceiling. She was watching you as you read the Princesses journal.

I blinked, and the reflection was no longer my own, but someone else's. A younger face, a green tunic, with a shield made of tree bark, and knife in his hand. He was staring at me, as I felt the horrid eye stare at me from above.

We stared at each other, both of us unable to move as the boy in the pool shook with fright. He too was gripping his blade with white knuckles as he felt her stare at him. His eyes were wide and his knees were weak, just as mine were right now. It was his first time feeling this, feeling the glare of evil look into his very soul and drool in delight.

He wanted to cry, to run but he couldn't. His father was dying… and it was all because of her…

The reflection glared as I could only stare… this boy… I knew him. He was… he's the…

Drip…

I remembered the last passage I read in the book. I don't know why that thought came to mind as that horrid orange eye glared down at me. My thoughts disappeared as our grip relaxed, our hearts beating as one.

We were afraid. But that was nothing new to me, and it would be nothing to him either.

We took a breath as he smiled at me, his heart shining in my own as I feared what was happening to me as I looked into his soul. We were connected, he knew this, and now so did I… but never like this, it should never be like this.

My burdens were mine, not yours…

I swallowed my saliva, as my reflection stared at his first great foe, the large eye of the creature who would be responsible for his fathers death. All as I recalled the last passage I read in the journal…

"Why here…" It had said as I tensed up, seeing my foe raise above my younger reflection's head, my palms racing with adrenaline.

Drip…

As eight crimson eyes stared down at me, towering over my body as I swung my blade behind me with all my strength. A clash of steel against bone.

"Why in Jorogumo's Tomb?"

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"Boldly go where few men dare to travel, and you may find something few men dare to face."

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Grimm types in this chapter:

Weaver: A small and weak variant of Grimm mostly, if not always found in caves. They are of little danger alone, but together they can take out a grown man with their constant bites. Though, they are very easy to kill, and are mostly just an inconvenience.

Weaver β: Larger and far more deadly, these creatures are much stronger than their younger brothers, though that is not saying much. These creatures are about as strong as a normal Beowulf, but be careful in the caves they call home. Older ones are known to lay devious traps, and bite with their poisonous fangs.

Arachne: ?

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Next time on "A Hero's Dream"!

"Hide and Seek."