- Joined
- Apr 29, 2012
This is a work in progress on my website, Home - Creative Writing~ and I hope you enjoy it. Currently we have two members contributing to the story, and I will mark the beginning of each of their sections with their username (from my site). If you are interested in adding to the story, come join the site and start right away!
[Vivaereth]
Link lay on the soft grass looking up at the stars. They seemed so far away from Faron Village. They made him think about the goddesses, who left for the heavens so long ago. He wondered if they still thought about Hyrule, or if they had moved on to some other world. At any rate, he was glad that they had left behind the Triforce to help the people of his world. Link couldn't remember a time when there were problems in the village. Life here was true paradise, and the only evils that existed here were those in the legends of old, the legends of the Hero of Time, Link's namesake.
"Link!" He heard his name shouted from across the clearing. He rolled over and saw Jona running towards him. They had been close friends for as long as he could remember. Link sat up, waiting for Jona to reach him.
Jona arrived panting. "Link... The professor just told me..." he said through big breaths. "There's going to be a meteor shower tonight!" Jona said excitedly.
Link stood up quickly, almost knocking his friend over. "That's great! There couldn't be a better night than tonight. Just look at the clear sky," he said as he arced his arm across the sky.
Jona nodded. "It should only be another minute or so. I can't wait! This will be amazing!"
The two friends lay down on the grass together, looking at the sky in anticipation, in silence. Suddenly the sky was lit up as a star streaked across the sky. A few followed it, and then hundreds of stars flew across their field of view.
At the tail end of the spectacle, one burned even brighter than the others. As they watched, it burst into flames. Link gasped. Jona couldn't speak. The star fell into Faron Woods with a crash that echoed through the village and off into the distance. The earth shook with a mighty tremor, and then everything was silent once again.
Link stood, and helped his friend up as well. How none of the other villagers had heard or felt the crash was beyond him. Seeing that nothing was damaged and no one was hurt, the tension ebbed into the night. Link looked at Jona, and he at him. "We have to see it!" This could be their only chance to see what a star looked like up close. Without another word, the friends ran off for Faron Woods together.
Link and Jona slowed as they neared the site of the fallen star. The woods here glowed with a faint green light. They cautiously approached. To their surprise, a beautiful woman stood where the star had fallen. The woman wore no clothes, but her long, luscious hair covered her body as if she did. She seemed delicate, like flower that might snap off in a storm, but carried a sense of surety and boldness.
Regardless, both boys averted their eyes in respect. Jona took off his cloak and held it out to her. The woman smiled and took it appreciatively, putting it on. The three stood there for several minutes. The only sound was that of the chirping crickets. Finally Link broke the silence. "I am Link, and this is Jona. Who are you?"
The woman smiled. She spoke eloquently. "Link, you can already answer that question, although you may not see it yet." Somehow, Link knew she spoke the truth. He didn't understand her answer, though, and he meant to ask her more of what she meant, but she spoke before he could. "You will understand in time. In the meanwhile, could you please show me to Lanayru Province? I am searching for my two sisters, and I think one may be there."
The boys agreed to lead the stranger out of the woods, but beyond there they would be of no help. They knew nothing of the other provinces. She seemed happy enough with that, so they walked with her towards the rest of Hyrule.
As they walked, Link wondered who this mysterious woman was. Maybe if he asked her about her sisters he would come to know her. He had just opened his mouth to do so when she said, "Link, Jona. I want you to trust me as much as I trust you. I believe that someone has followed me into the forest. If it is who I think it is, we are in great danger. I thought you should know before anything bad could happen. I might just be a bit paranoid, but it is quite possible that he is following us as we speak. We must be vigilant. Do not let anything go unnoticed." She leaned closer to Link and whispered in his ear, "If anything should happen to me, you must go to Lanayru Province and find my sister..." She trailed off for a moment, as though considering what she should say. She continued in a voice that was barely audible, "Find my sister Ryanu and tell her what happened to me." Link nodded in silent agreement.
Whoever the woman was, she was scared; she seemed like a victim. Of what Link was unsure. He knew that he had to do whatever it took to lead her out of the forest safely. He and Jona looked warily about their surroundings, searching every tree for malicious intent. Jona thought he felt someone watching him, but when he turned around to look, there was nobody there.
A short time later, a blinding flash of light lit up the forest. Link heard the woman scream, and several seconds later, once he could see again, he saw her chained to a tree with some kind of black cord. Her mouth was gagged. Link ran to her, but stopped short when he heard a strange voice say, "One more step and she dies." A shadowy figure stepped in front of her. Link couldn't see much of the figure, except for a bit of light hair and a cloak. The rest was completely covered in the shadows.
The figure started chanting something in a strange and terrifying tongue. A black portal began to open near the tree. Link tried to do something, and found that he was unable to move. With a giddy laugh, the figure untied the chains, and dragged the woman with him through the portal, which immediately began to close. As soon as it was gone, the boys could move again.
They couldn't believe what had just happened. Jona looked at Link. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words to use. The boys were dazed. Link snapped out of it first. "Jona! The lady asked me to find her sister in Lanayru. Go back to the village and tell the professor where I've gone. If you can, catch up with me there. We can't just leave; everyone will wonder where we are. We can't put them in danger. But we can't let that creep find the other two women too."
Jona nodded in agreement. "I'll talk to the professor. He may know of places where we could look for the other, too. I'll try to find you later!" he shouted as he ran back for the village. Link turned and started making his way out of the forest. He didn't have to run around trees for very long before he ran out into the open plains that made up the edge of Faron Province, bordering Lanayru.
When Link saw the enormity of the plains, he slowed to a walk. He could hardly make out an establishment in the distance, if it was even there. Even so, he wouldn't get anywhere just by looking, so he made for what seemed to be a small village to the north.
The sun had just begun to rise when Link reached the village. It wasn't much, just a handful of single-level buildings circled around a well, but to the residents it was home. As he entered the small village, Link noticed an elderly lady drawing water from the well. When he approached, she turned around.
"Well hello there, young lad," she said in a slow, crackly voice. "You're new to town. Is there something I can help you with?"
Link started to say yes, but she interrupted him promptly. "Oh, my dear. I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. How silly of me. It must be the old age finally setting in. I knew it would catch up with me sooner or later, and I'll be! It certainly has been later! Young lad, I am Eldreen, the elder of this village. Who might you be?"
Link really didn't listen to much of the old woman's ramblings; he didn't have the patience or the time. When she asked, he told her his name, albeit impatiently. She went on to say, "Welcome to Lara Village, Link. Now, is there something that I can help you with?"
She finally stopped talking long enough for Link to speak more than a word. "Yes, Eldreen. Could you..."
Eldreen cut him off again. "How rude of me! I forgot to offer you tea! My, what else have I been forgetting lately? Here, Link, come and have a cup of tea." She led him toward one of the small buildings. Link felt like he would be unable to control his patience for much longer. He had to find Ryanu as quickly as possible. He didn't have time for tea.
"With all due respect, Eldreen, but I am in a bit of a hurry. Could you just tell me..."
She interrupted again. "My, my. You younglings are quite impatient. You really must learn to take time to enjoy the fineties of life, like a nice cup of hot tea."
Link stopped walking. "Eldreen, I really must be going. I am supposed to be meeting someone in Lanayru this afternoon, and if I stay for tea, I don't believe I will get there on time. I'm coming from Faron Village, and I don't know the way. Could you just point me in the direction of Lanayru? If I find time, I'll come back sometime for tea. But right now, I really must set off for my meeting."
Eldreen replied, "Well, Link. Why didn't you say so? I would never keep someone from an important meeting. Lanayru is off over there," she said pointing to the northwest. "If you want to arrive before the afternoon, you'll have to head off now. I would go quickly, too, or you may be late. Have a safe journey!" she shouted after him; Link had already started off for Lanayru.
[Avulia]
By the time Link reached the river that served as the border between the Faron and Lanayru Provinces, the sun was at its peak. He was exhausted from travel, and his throat cried out for water. Link fell at the water‘s edge, and greedily drank.
In his fatigued state, a serene tune began to play in Link’s head. Only after taking several revitalizing drinks did he realize that the song was not a figment of his imagination, but was in fact adrift in the air around him.
He rose to his feet and followed the enchanting sound from its source beneath a vibrant olive tree aside the river. A woman sat at the bank, singing as she washed clothes on a river stone. She continued to sing, even as he approached her, and did not seem to notice his presence.
Link leaned against the tree’s trunk, amid the dappled shade, and listened to the woman’s peaceful melody. Finally, her voice grew soft and slow, and this quiet cadence delivered the song to its end.
“Would you like to hear another?” the woman asked. She turned and met Link’s eyes as if she had known he was there the entire time.
Link rose to his feet, nervously throwing an arm behind his head. It was as though he had been caught eavesdropping; his face colored in embarrassment.
The woman smiled. “Don’t worry,” she reassured him, “my songs are for whoever wishes to listen. Tell me,” she continued, “what is a young boy such as you doing so far way from home?”
Link opened his mouth and closed it, like a Hylian Bass gasping for air. She must have known from his unusual outfit and unfamiliar face that he was not from the area. That must have been it.
“Well, I’m looking for someone,” Link said meekly.
“Ah, you’re on a quest then.” The woman set aside her laundry and folded her hands. “Perhaps I can aid you in your quest. Who are you looking for?”
Link rubbed his cheek. “Uh, a lady I met in the woods sent me to find her sister. Someone named Ryanu.”
The woman with the beautiful voice pursed her lips, looking pensive. After a moment’s deliberation, she said, “It seems you’ve found her. I’m Ryanu.”
“Really?” Link exclaimed, incredulous of his good luck. “Well, um, then…” His mood sank when he realized that he did not know what he was supposed to tell Ryanu when he found her.
“Is my sister alright?” the woman, Ryanu asked, her voice already rising in apprehension. “Why did she send you, and not meet me herself?”
Link’s heart suddenly fluttered in panic. “That’s just it! She was captured!”
“Captured?” The boy could see Ryanu’s body tense, though her voice remained calm. “When? How?”
“A few days ago. Me and my friend Jona found her in the woods. We were looking for a meteor, and we found her. She wanted us to take her to Lanayru province to meet you, but along the way-- I don’t even really know what happened; it was so fast…”
“Go on,” Ryanu encouraged, haste tingeing her voice.
“…Out of nowhere some-- one, appeared out of the shadows, and took her away. They disappeared. Like magic!”
At first, Ryanu said nothing, her soft features drained of color. When she spoke again, her voice was surprisingly collected. “What of your friend, Jona?”
“He went back to our village to tell them where we were going. He said he’d catch up with me.”
Ryanu took a slow breath. Then she gathered up her laundry in a woven basket and stood. “It seems you’ll be in need of a place to stay until you’re friend arrives. You’re welcome to stay at my home. I’m just heading back now if you would like to accompany me.”
Link furrowed his brow. She no longer seemed at all concerned about her sister, as any sensible person would be. In a daze of confusion, he accepted her offer, and they started off towards the nearby town.
Link trailed behind Ryanu slightly, not being able to think of anything to talk about. The woman’s long waves of blonde curls bounced lightly and her pastel blue robe flowed with her smooth gait. She was quite beautiful, but Link realized it was a different kind of beauty from her sister. It was an older, more mature beauty.
They reached Ryanu’s house on the edge of Lanayru village. It was a simple adobe building adjoined to several others all down a row. They entered in silence.
The house was surprisingly spacious, given its outward appearance, and simply furnished. A kitchenette and open fireplace lay in one corner, a homely settee and bookshelf in another. A ladder indicated a second floor, where perhaps a sleeping arrangement might be located.
An ornately decorated mirror hung on one of the walls, seeming out of place in the modest furnishings. Its brass frame was carved with intricate swirls, and along the inside, a frosted glass rim bore what Link knew to be ancient Hyrulian runes, though he could not read them.
Ryanu set aside her laundry hamper. “Make yourself comfortable,” she told him, as she approached the mirror.
Without explanation, she took up a small clay jar and with a brush began to paint what looked like a large symbol on the mirror’s surface with clear liquid. The glass seemed to become fluid and rippled at Ryanu’s strokes. Link watched in amazement as the rippling surface settled, and displayed a face, but not the face of Ryanu, rather the face of another woman.
“Sister,” Ryanu said, “I bear worrisome news.”
“Oh no,” said the woman in the mirror, seemingly less than impressed. “What is it now?”
“You will not take such a callous tone when you hear what I have to say. The last sister has arrived.”
“How is that a bad thing?”
“She was captured before she could reach us.”
The mirror-sister grew deathly silent. Then she said, “Who would do such a thing?!’
“We both know who has done it;” Ryanu reminded her darkly, “do not pretend you don’t. Who has the most to gain from preventing our reunion?”
The mirror-sister grew deathly silent.
Link could contain his curiosity no longer. “How are you doing that?” His legs dared to approach the mirror.
“Who’s that?” the mirror-sister asked sharply.
“He is the messenger, Link. The one who brought me news of our sister in her stead.”
Link was distracted briefly by the fact that he could not remember ever giving Ryanu his name.
“Are you sure this is a good idea? Him listening to us. Don’t you think you should erase his memory; send him back to his blissful ignorance?” The mirror-sister posed.
Ryanu shook her head. “I do not believe in modifying memories. Besides, they are already involved, he and his friend, who will be joining us later.”
“There’s another one?” The mirror-sister gave an exasperated sigh. “So what do we do now?”
Ryanu opened her mouth to speak when a new voice cut into the dialogue.
“You’re not going to do anything.”
The two standing at the mirror whirled around to find a third figure casually leaning against the wall next to the door, which had not been opened since their arrival.
The newcomer gave a sudden outburst of laughter. “How surprised you look! Had you not noticed my arrival? I’ve been here for several minutes….” His voice rose and fell in a rich fit of amusement.
“You….” Link breathed. He recognized the pale figure, no longer swathed in shadows, as the one who had abducted the woman in the forest.
The androgynous man before them was of slight frame, but overflowing with self assuredness. Beneath angular brightly painted eyes sat a predatory grin.
“I’m quite the talented individual, but never would I have thought I would be able to outsmart the Goddess of Wisdom,” the newcomer boasted, quickly swiping a sheaf of white hair away from his left eye, offering a momentary glimpse at a crystal like structure on his cheek, which the sheaf seemed to be hiding.
“Goddess of--” Link looked at Ryanu.
“Really. How wise it was of you to take in the mortal boy the other sent to find you. I’ve been following him since Faron….” He licked his lips and glanced at Link.
Ryanu, if that was truly her name, stepped in front of Link, and the latter broke out into a cold sweat. I lead him here?
“Ghirahim!” the mirror-sister spat. “If you so much as lay a finger on her I’ll--”
“Oh don’t grow impatient, my dear. You’re turn is coming. I already know where to find you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “How--”
“As I see you now, you are standing in front of sandstone brick, are you not? Quite signature of one region in particular, if I recall….”
There was a moment of charged silence. Then Ryanu spoke quietly. “End the transmission now.”
“But--” her sister protested.
“Just do it!” she ordered. “I will… be fine.”
After one last worried glance, the mirror’s surface became reflective once more.
“Oh yes…” the man called Ghirahim drawled, “she will be quite alright in my… capable hands.” As he spoke, the air around his fingers began to darken, and an evil looking haze enveloped them.
Ryanu lowered her head. “You cannot fight that which is preordained.”
Ghirahim chuckled. “Neither can you.”
With that, he flung his arms outward, and cast the dark haze Ryanu’s way. Ryanu shoved Link aside before bearing the brunt of the attack. Her scream pierced the air, a terror-stricken note. And then she was no more.
Link rolled upright, regaining his breath. When he saw that he had failed to protect Ryanu, a flame ignited inside him. But unlike the previous encounter, Link found that the abductor was still present. Ghirahim stared down at Link with patronizing eyes.
“You…. You!” Link roared, as he stumbled to his feet and charged the man. He launched a punch at Ghirahim, which the latter caught, as if it were no more than a river stone flung his way.
“Yes, I,” he said, effortlessly blocking yet more blows. “Don’t be disrespectful like those wretched women. Though my name is Ghirahim I like to indulge myself in my full title. I would have you called me Demon Lord Ghirahim.”
“I don’t care!” Link shouted, throwing another punch. Ghirahim caught it, but this time did not release it.
“What a rude little boy you are. At least have the decency of returning the introduction.”
Link struggled against the demon lord’s grip, finding himself unable to pry his fist away.
“What is your name?” Ghirahim asked venomously, his voice now deathly deliberate. He tightened his fingers, and Link fell to his knees, crying out as the bones in his hand were nearly broken. “Link!” he gasped.
“Link, is it?” Ghirahim relaxed his grip immediately. He crossed the open room, as Link lay crumpled, cradling his hand.
“Then tell me, Link, have you ever received tutelage with a blade?”
“Huh?” Link looked over his shoulder, and found the sinister looking edge of a black sword poised over his neck. He was frozen, as sweat collected upon his brow.
“No?” Ghirahim seemed disappointed, but regained his predatory grin not a moment after. He twirled the blade around and instead offered Link the hilt. Disoriented, Link took it.
“Then I shall have the honor of being your first instructor.” Ghirahim drew back a few paces, and with a flutter of sparks, a second, twin blade appeared in the air before him. He snatched it up, and to Link’s repulsion, drew his tongue across its length.
“Take up that sword,” he ordered, “and defend yourself.”
[Vivaereth]
Realizing that reason would be futile against the demon lord, Link resolved to fight. Not that he had a choice. Link held the sword with his left hand, his weak hand, since the other was injured. He swung it wildly towards Ghirahim, who deflected it easily.
Ghirahim looked at him pitifully. “That can’t be the best you can do. Really, Link. Try and kill me. I know you want to....”
Link swung it at Ghirahim again, but to no avail.
Ghirahim sighed. “If you put any less effort into our fight, I might die of boredom. Your indifference upsets me. But my anger isn’t for you. It’s those cursed Goddesses! They make my heart boil with rage! They really have quite a detrimental effect on my personality, don’t you agree? So instead of killing you now, I think I’ll take out my anger on one of them. How about my most recent victim? What did you call her... Ryanu?”
Link slashed at him as hard as he could. He had to keep Ghirahim from hurting Ryanu. The demon lord caught Link’s sword between two fingers. “Let’s not be getting ahead of ourselves now. You wouldn’t want to end our battle before it reaches its climax, now would you?”
Link struggled against his grip, but could not free his sword. Ghirahim gave it a tug, and jerked it out of Link’s hand. Seeing the demon lord with both swords, and himself defenseless, Link crept to the back of the room. Suddenly, he heard the tortured screams of Ryanu echo off the walls of her house. He winced, unable to do anything to help her. The screams rose in pitch until Link thought his ears would bleed. Lifting his hands to them, he realized that they actually were. Ghirahim laughed giddily at their pain, as though it made his day. It infuriated Link to see such cruelty.
Ghirahim suddenly threw Link’s sword at him. Link tried to dodge out of the way, but the blade sliced through his right arm. Link screamed, but then the rage took over. He picked up the sword. Now that he had a weapon, he could fight the demon lord. Link rushed at him, attacking with a flurry of bladed fury. Ghirahim blocked each blow casually.
Finally, Link tired, and could fight no more. Ghirahim looked at him sadistically. “That’s all? I really was expecting a bit more, but it was certainly an improvement. You need practice. I suggest that you keep up with the blade, Link. You wouldn’t want to be caught off guard when we next meet. Perhaps I should give you some encouragement. I suppose I could find some encouraging people in Faron Village, don’t you?”
With that, Ghirahim snapped his fingers and disappeared.
For some reason, the vanishing act didn’t surprise Link. Then the pain of his arm washed over him and dropped him to his knees, clutching his arm. The sword clattered to the ground, stained with his blood. He screamed until he was hoarse. Then he cried, feeling helpless against Ghirahim, unable to save Ryanu.
And then the demon lord had threatened Faron Village. What did his loved ones have to do with the sisters, or Ghirahim’s plans? But Ghirahim had said that he would need inspiration if Link wasn’t any better with the sword when they met again. Link resolved not to need encouragement.
A red haze clouded his vision, and he slowly passed into a deep slumber.
He opened his eyes slowly, and squinted in the bright light. The air smelled of freshly cut flowers. He sat upright on the cot on which he rested, which made his head throb. He heard someone say, “Look! He’s waking up!” A woman, really just a girl, came to him, and said he should lie back down, or he might hit his arm against something. Link winced at the pain he suddenly felt. It wasn’t as bad as before, but it still hurt.
He didn’t lie back down, and the girl realized that it would be useless for her to press the issue. She smiled at him and said, “I’m Sasha. I’ve been taking care of you since we found you in Ryanu’s house. Do you want to talk about what happened?”
Link shook his head. He didn’t know if he would even be able to speak, and the whole ordeal was too much for him to go through all over again. Sasha smiled knowingly. “I’m sure you’ll feel like talking later. In the mean time, could you at least tell me your name?”
Link struggled to speak, but he managed to say, “Link,” before he had a coughing fit. The strain of the coughs caused his arm wound to reopen. Sasha said, “Oh my. Your arm simply does not want to heal, does it? What did you do to it?” She began wrapping it with a fresh cloth. “My mother runs the potion shop. She makes the best red potions in Lanayru, but for some reason they don’t heal your arm. She tried every recipe, but nothing worked. In time, though, it should heal naturally. That is, unless you keep reopening it,” she added with a grin.
Link didn’t think it was funny, but he smiled anyway. Sasha seemed to realize that it was a fake smile, because after that she worked in silence.
After seeing to his bandage, Sasha left the small room. Link looked around the room. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but he knew he couldn't afford to lose any time. The third sister was in trouble. Ghirahim said he already knew where to find her. And he knew that he would meet Ghirahim there, which meant that he needed to practice with the sword.
The sword. Where was the sword? Link looked frantically throughout the room, and saw nothing. He'd have to ask Sasha when she came back.
Link sat on the cot, unsure of what to do. He knew he had to leave, and soon, or he would be unable to find the sister before Ghirahim. But he also needed that sword, or he would be unable to fend off the demon lord.
Link didn't have to wait for very long. Sasha walked back into the room with a smile, which seemed to hide some other, deeper emotion. She looked at Link, then pulled a chair to the side of his cot.
"I brought you a cough syrup. Hopefully that will at least help your recovery." She gave him the medicine, and continued. "Link, I need to know what happened in Ryanu's house. You have to tell me."
Link looked at her seriously. "Sasha. I went looking for Ryanu, because her sister asked me to in Faron Woods. I came all the way to Lanayru province, and met her by the river. She led me to her house, and was going to talk to me." He couldn't tell her that she painted on a mirror and started talking to her other sister, or Sasha would think he was lying to her. "Then some stranger came in and somehow made her disappear. Then he gave me a sword and made me fight him. I never managed to strike him, not even once. He's the one who cut my arm. Then he vanished, just like Ryanu. I must have passed out from the pain shortly afterward."
Sasha looked at him incredulously. "Wow. You tell a great story. Now what really happened? What did you have against Ryanu, and what did you do with her?" She paused to let him answer, but Link just sat there looking at her. She didn't believe him. Even worse, she thought he had something to do with Ryanu's disappearance.
Sasha looked startled at his silence. "You actually thought I would believe that? I might be a girl, but I'm not stupid. That story wouldn't even fool a child. If you would tell me what really happened, maybe I can get the elders to lessen your punishment."
When Link didn't respond, she said, "No? Fine, then. I have no further business here." As she got up to leave, Link thought he saw her eyes water.
Before she could go, Link asked her, "Sasha, what happened to my sword?"
She turned back and looked at him sorrowfully. "The elders tried to melt it, but it wouldn't melt. It wouldn't even get warm. They buried it. Not like it really matters. They plan to execute you at midnight." With that, she turned and walked out the door.
[Avulia]
A chill ran through Link. Executed? But he hadn’t done anything. He had said so. Why couldn’t they believe him. His tale was far fetched, he knew, but they couldn’t prove he’d done it. How could they convict him?
A stinging in his arms made him realize that he had been tensing his muscles; his arms were shaking. Was he going to die here? Waylaid by a misunderstanding. Though the demon lord Ghirahim terrified him, the thought that he was going to be executed even before he got the chance to face him again terrified him even more. The thought of his death being insignificant when there was so much that he had vowed to do was unbearable. Tears stung his eyes.
A metallic clatter cut through the air, startling Link. His pulse racing, he frantically glanced about the room. His eyes met with something on the floor, and his heart skipped a beat.
Resting on the cold tile, where nothing had been moments before, was a slender black sword. Ghirahim’s sword.
Swallowing hard, Link slipped out of his sickbed and crept over to the phantom sword. To ensure it was not a figment of his imagination, he reached out and quickly tapped the blade. The cool touch of metal and the faint sound of it scraping along the tile were its response. Link grasped the sword’s pommel.
Hadn’t that girl Sasha said they had buried the sword they found with Link because it could not be melted? How had it ended up here? Link bit his lip.
Just looking at the sword lit a spark in him, reigniting his commitment to save the Sisters. He looked around the room. There was a simple wooden door on the far wall, the one Sasha had exited from, no doubt locked. Link tried anyway, and found his assumption to be correct. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to leave through that door anyway.
Next to the bed, there was a narrow window close to the ceiling. The glass was latticed with metal, so he could not simply break it, and a padlock clung firmly to the latch. There were no other exits, but Link was determined. He would not just sit patiently and let them come to execute him. He would not die here.
Climbing onto the nightstand, Link attempted to pry the padlock apart with the sword. No matter how much weight he put on the lever he’d created, neither the sword nor the padlock gave way.
Finally, he resorted to his only other option. He took aim, and swung the sword at the padlock. The recoil sent him reeling, and almost caused him to lose his footing. The clatter of the connection was also worryingly loud, but it was a risk he would have to take. He continued, putting a little more strength into his swing each time. He saw a scar beginning to form on the padlock.
He gave one last swing, stronger than all the others. There was a loud chik as the lock gave way and the window swung open. There was an even louder crash when Link was sent tumbling off the nightstand, overturning it in the process.
Link winced in pain, his injuries not bearing the brunt of the fall well. There was a commotion outside his door. They had heard him, and it wouldn’t be long before he was discovered.
Heart racing, Link rose and righted the nightstand, pushing it back into position. He scrambled up the wall and crawled out the window, which was set at ground level. In his periphery, he saw the door of the room behind him open just as he pulled his feet through the window.
There was an outburst when they saw him, but Link did not look back. He ran.
He did not know Lanayru town at all, and his first instinct was to get as far away from it as possible. His wounds screamed from the strain of his escape, but he couldn’t afford to let himself get caught.
The townspeople stared at him when he passed, and from behind him, Link heard the door’s of Sasha’s house be flung open and several people rush out, barking orders to find the escapee. Link ducked behind a food stand and continued down another road.
A sharp spasm of pain caused him to stumble, and the black sword slipped from his fingers. He heard footsteps around the corner that he’d just turned and clenched his teeth. Another moment and he’d be spotted. He turned away and abandoned the sword, better to lose it than be captured again.
Out of nowhere, two arms shot out and entangled him. They dragged him into a dark side alley, the hand over his mouth preventing him from screaming.
“Shh. Be quiet.” It was a woman’s voice. His captor pressed herself against the wall of the alley, holding Link immobile. Several running men passed by the alley’s exit in a blur.
“Okay.” The woman’s grip relaxed after a moment. “But we’re not out of this yet. Hold on.” Before Link could protest, the woman scooped him up and proceeded down the alley carrying him in her arms. The alley ended in a dead end, but the woman ran right for it. To Link’s amazement, when they reached the end, the woman leapt up and sprang back and forth up the wall until they stood atop the buildings roof.
The woman looked down at Link, who was still agape at the stunt. Almost teasingly she said, “Sorry, you’re not fast enough. I’m gonna have to carry you until we get out of here.”
The woman effortlessly began sprinting along the rooftops, jumping from one to the other. It seemed that carrying Link did not inhibit her movement at all. Below, militia swarmed about the streets, completely oblivious to them.
They reached the edge of town, and the woman leaped off the outer wall. She continued running until they were a safe distance away from town. Only when they encountered the river with a sloping bank for cover did they stop.
Gently, the woman set him down. “Wow, you got scraped up quite a bit didn’t you?” She lifted his arm, his bandages already soaked through with blood.
She began to unwrap the bandages. It was the first time that Link got a clear look at his rescuer’s face, his heart leapt when he realized that it was the sister he’d seen Nayru conversing with through the mirror.
“Y-- you,” Link stammered.
“Yeah, me,” she said nonchalantly, turning to wash the bandages in the stream.
“How did you get here so fast?” Link asked. “How did you escape from Ghirahim.”
She glanced back at him, her brow furrowed. “So fast? It’s been almost a week. As far as I know, you were out for that long.”
Link frowned.
She returned and began to redress his wounds. “And you make it sound like Ghirahim actually succeeded in capturing me. He tried. He certainly tried, but I was able to fend him off. The annoying fop….”
“You… fended him off?” Link was stunned.
She gave him a stern look. “What do you take me for? I am the incarnation of the Goddess of the Power.” She tied off his bandages, giving them a savage tug. Link winced. “There.”
For the first time, Link noticed the sword belted to the woman‘s hip. He felt a flood of disappointment in himself, that he had believed that Ghirahim was nigh invincible simply because he had bested the untrained Link. He allowed his mind to wander back to the strange happenings of recent days. “Then I guess, it really is true. You’re Din, aren’t you?”
She leaned back against the slope of the hill and sighed. “Yeah.” Her hair, a dark red, almost black shade, fanned out under her head. It had been pulled away from her face in a ponytail. Her eyes were a stern brown but her lips seemed to be surprisingly supple. Link was again taken aback by the unique beauty that each of the sisters seemed to possess.
“Then, Ryanu, she was Nayru. And the woman I met in the woods was Farore?” Link concluded, recounted the other two of the triune goddesses.
Din nodded.
“How did… How are you… here?” Link could think of no better way to phrase his question. “Why are you here?”
Din sat upright. “You have to understand Link, there is a kind of cycle of rebirth that we, the Goddesses of the Triforce go through. Every millennium or so, Nayru, Farore, and myself arrive in the land of Hyrule as mortals. We must meet up and must complete a ritual before we return to the Sacred Realm. We all arrive at different times and places, so this can be difficult. I’ve already been here for three years, Nayru for a year less. Farore only just arrived.
“Now that we’re all in Hyrule, there are those who would use our power for their own devices. Take advantage of us while we‘re in a weakened mortal state. Ghirahim’s master is one of them. It is a danger we’ve managed to evade in our previous times in Hyrule, but this time, they got the drop on us. They can’t use our power without all three of us present, but in the meantime I’m the only one left.
“Farore had only just arrived. She didn’t stand a chance. We hoped that we would have contact with her before Ghirahim and the others did. We were too late.” She turned, and gave a soft smile to Link. “Thank you for trying to protect her.”
There it was again. Trying. Trying but not succeeding. It seemed like that was all he was good for. The fiery feeling again ignited in Link.
“I want to come with you,” he said at once.
Din was not fazed by this. “Look kid, I appreciate you’re eagerness to help, but this is too dangerous for you. You need to go home and hope that you don’t get caught up in the crossfire. I can handle myself.”
“You don’t understand,” Link insisted. “I was with both of your sisters when they got captured, and both times, I couldn’t do anything to stop it from happening. I should have helped them, but I couldn’t.”
“Exactly my point kid,” Din said.
Link gritted his teeth. “I…” He swallowed, nervous about how she would react to what he would say next. “I want you to take me on as your apprentice!”
Her eyebrow quirked, but she did not reject his idea. Not yet.
He continued. “Ghirahim challenged me. He let me live, so that one day I might face off with him again. I’m not going to disappoint him. I want you to train me with the sword so that one day, when meet him on the field of battle again, I’ll be able to pay him back for what he did to you and your sisters and for what he did to me. I was useless to stop him before, but I will not allow him to take you. In exchange for your teachings, I’ll protect you.” Link swallowed. “Even to my death.”
Din was silent for a long moment. Then the corners of her mouth began to tug. Soon she began laughing. Link was mortified. He had just made a complete fool of himself.
Then to his surprise, she said, “I like your spunk, kid! There’s only one problem, my new apprentice. You don’t have a sword to train with.”
Link’s hopes fell. What good was a teacher if he had no sword to learn with.
Just then, a ways away Link heard a metallic clatter on river rocks. Disbelief slowing his reaction, he tilted his head aside.
There on the bank a few feet away laid the sword Ghirahim had given him.
“Well, look at that,” Din breathed.
Link crawled over and picked up the sword for the second time that day. “…How?”
“Did Ghirahim give you that sword?” Din asked.
Link nodded.
“Heh. That explains it then.” She folded her arms. “He’s cursed it to always return to you. Probably thinks its funny…” she muttered. A sly smile crossed her face. “Who are we to not accept such generous charity. Do you still wish to learn the ways of the sword?”
Link gave the affirmative.
“Then I am your master. And that,” she pointed, “is your sword.”
[Vivaereth]
Link dipped his head in respect. "Thank you for accepting me, Master."
Din scoffed at him. "None of that foolishness. Deference will win you no battles. You must train with your whole self. You must be prepared to kill me."
Link looked up at the goddess in shock. "K-kill you?" he stammered.
She slowly drew a knife out of a sheath hidden beneath the sleeve of her dress. As she did, she held Link's attention, saying, "Yes. You have to try as hard as you can to defeat me. Remember, I am the incarnation of the Goddess of Power. I won't let you get that close." She took a step towards Link. "And besides, when you fight Ghirahim, you'll need to be assured in your skills. When that battle ensues, I intend to fight with you. I need to know that I can count on you, too." She stepped closer again, within arm's reach.
Link said, "I'll try as hard as I can. When will we start?"
Din stabbed forward at Link's chest. He gasped as she stopped close enough that he could feel the tip of the blade prick coldly at his skin. She said, "We already have, from the moment I accepted your request. I can see why you fared so poorly against Ghirahim."
"But... but that wasn't fair! I wasn't expecting you to attack me without a warning!"
The goddess sighed. "Lesson Number One: Expect your enemy to attack you when you least expect it. Link, if I was actually intent on killing you, why would I tell you beforehand? Now, put the sword away. Once you fully understand what I've just told you, come back and we'll train some more. That's enough for now."
Link questioned his mentor. "But we just started...."
Din replied sternly. "Go."
Link dipped his head in respect and turned to leave. Before he could even take a step, Din had her left arm wrapped around him. He felt the length of the blade along his throat. He gulped. "Never obey your enemy."
Link slumped his shoulders, but tightened his grip on Ghirahim's sword. "Yes, Master," he said dejectedly.
Din sighed, relaxing her grip on the apprentice. "I understand that you're new to this, but at least try to apply common sense to the situation." She raised her knife beside her neck, poised to strike again. "Now turn around, and let's...."
Link spun around, the sword arcing up toward Din. She parried the unexpected swing awkwardly with her own blade. She smiled, saying, "Well! It seems that I should listen to my own advice as well as my pupil. I like your progress, and you're making it faster than I expected. Perhaps Farore wasn't as naive as I thought when she created you Hylians...." she trailed on to herself.
Din sheathed the knife. Drawing her sword, she said, "Now that you understand the basics, it's time for the real fun to begin!
*******
It had been a few days since he and Link had parted. Jona had gone back to the village, and told the professor where they were going. The next day, he set out for Lanayru Village. When he got there, he could find no sign of Link, or Ryanu for that matter. He had wondered if the strange man had found them.
Jona had gone back to Faron Village again, asking the professor how he could find his friend. The professor had told him of the loftwings, a race of massive birds that had once lived alongside the Hylians. They lived on the mountain in the south of Faron Province, and the professor thought that they might assist him.
So Jona left for the mountain, rushing so he could find Link before anything bad could happen to him. It had taken him a day to reach the mountain, and another to climb the treacherous path to the top.
Jona reached the summit, surprisingly flat, yet still rugged with boulders and crags here and there. They almost made a perfect circle of stone on the rocky plateau.
Jona walked cautiously to the center of the circle, questioning what he had gotten himself into. He looked around for any sign of the loftwings, but didn't see anything. He turned this way and that, trying to find something that would warrant his prolonged presence atop the mountain.
A rush of wind tore at Jona as a shadow engulfed him. A large gold-feathered bird with a plume of crimson feathers perched on the largest rocky outcropping. Seconds later, other loftwings came to the mountain peak, stoically showing their rainbowed assortment of contour feathers. The birds that arrived after the first were smaller, but still quite large.
The golden loftwing spoke in the strange language of the large birds. Jona was taken aback when he realized that he could understand exactly what the bird said.
"Look, Stratus. A human. It has been a long time, hasn't it? And just in time for dinner, too!" the golden bird said to a smaller, gray loftwing beside him.
Stratus coughed to command the attention of the other. "Nimbus! Mind your manners. You can't eat a Hylian before he explains why he came here. He may have important information for us. Let us hear him speak first."
Nimbus looked abashed. "All right, all right. But he looks so tender!"
The loftwings all looked at Jona intently, and somewhat ravenously. Jona felt out of place. Were they planning on... eating him? He swallowed. Hopefully his story would be good enough to prevent his demise.
"Noble loftwings," he began, trembling slightly, "I come to ask your assistance." Jona went on to describe the situation with the woman in the woods and that he needed to find her sister and his friend somewhere in Lanayru. "Could one of you fly me over Lanayru so I can find them quickly?"
Nimbus began to caw uncontrollably. Jona suddenly realized just how ridiculous his request was, and reddened.
Not long afterwards, Nimbus, between caws, said to the others, "Did you hear that? He wants to ride one of us! He wants to rule over us!" His words instigated an uproar in the assembly of loftwings. Looking over at Stratus, he said, "Let me eat him now!"
The gray loftwing nodded. Nimbus reared up, preparing to strike. Jona paled. He was going to be eaten now. All because the loftwings thought he wanted to rule them. He was going to die for a misunderstanding.
What if he could show them the truth? It was worth a try.
"Wait!" Jona shouted, on the verge of tears. The loftwing ignored him. "I don't want to rule you! I just need your help!" Jona closed his eyes and fell to his knees. His friend could be in trouble. Link could be waiting for him right now. He would be waiting forever, then. Jona braced himself for the blow, not that it would do any good.
Nothing happened. Jona opened his eyes. The loftwings were staring at him wide-eyed. Nimbus looked at Stratus. "Did he just say what I think he said?"
Stratus looked equally shocked. "That's impossible."
Jona didn't know what was going on. They were just going on, and now they were talking about impossibilities? "What's impossible? What do you think I said?" he asked.
The congregation of loftwings gasped. Status said, "He can understand us? Nimbus, do you know what this means?"
The golden bird perked up. "I can eat him?"
"No!" Stratus said in disgust. "You younglings need to brush up on your history. This means he is descended from the Sky People. We can't touch him because of the treaty!"
"So I can't eat him. But he looks so tender! All right, Sky Boy. Your request is denied. Leave now, before I change my mind and break the treaty."
Jona didn't need to be told twice. "Thank you," was all he said before he made his way down the mountain.
So that was it, then. Almost a week wasted when he could have been looking for Link. Jona was disgusted with himself. What had made him think this was a good idea?
Halfway down the mountain, Jona saw the tree line. He thought it odd that one part of the line seemed to show more of the sky than the rest, but couldn't explain his feelings.
When he reached the trees, he understood it. It wasn't the sky. It was a sky-blue loftwing. He must not have descended fast enough before they changed their minds. Now what was he going to do?
When it saw him, the loftwing took flight. After circling a few times overhead, it landed before Jona.
He was shocked when the bird dipped its head in respect. "I am Freefall," he said.
"Jona," said the Hylian. "Wh..." he began, but the loftwing cut him off.
"Not now. Climb on my back. I'll explain on the way to Lanayru."
Jona mounted Freefall in amazement. Now they could start looking for Link.
The loftwing took gracefully to the sky. The wind rushed past them as they flew toward Lanayru Province.
It was not long before Freefall spoke. "Jona, long ago, your people lived in a place called Skyloft. The only way to travel was by flight. We loftwings formed a treaty with your people. We would fly them from place to place as long as they respected our sacred places. Since the treaty was made, a bond would form between each person and loftwing.
"You are a descendant of those people. One sign of this is your ability to understand our speech. From the moment I first saw you I knew this to be true. I have bonded with you. We are companions."
*******
Sasha ran. Past the adobe buildings of Lanayru Village she ran. It was almost on to her. She had to flee. It could track her. She had to escape.
Did she just see a shadow in the alley she just passed? She hoped not, and ran. Why did she have to run so much? When would she lose it?
She ran into a side street and rested against a wall, breathing heavily. It was gone, wasn't it? Why did it want her? Why couldn't it have found somebody else, like Link? Why did such bad things have to happen to good people like herself?
Heavy breathing near her jolted her out of her thoughts. It had found her. She ran again. She had to.
Sasha fled the village. It wasn't safe anymore. Ever since the murderer named Link had come, it hadn't been right. Then it had found her. She couldn't let it get her. The mere thought terrified her.
Whatever it was, it wasn't human. Whatever it was, it wanted her. Sasha screamed, a bone-chilling sound that split the night air. If only she could make it to the stream, maybe she could lose it.
Starlight reflected off the gently rippling stream. She was almost there! Her body ached for a rest; she didn't know if she would make it in time.
Relief flooded through her as she heard the splashes of her footsteps, as she felt the cold water through her shoes. But still, it chased her relentlessly. Sasha turned and ran along the stream. It followed her on the other side of the stream. Gasping for air, she knew she wouldn't be able to run like this for much longer. She tried to scream. Her throat was too hoarse to make a sound.
Crying, Sasha stumbled. She rushed to her feet again. It had stopped with her, along the other side of the stream. Maybe it didn't like the water. She hoped so.
Her foot hit a rock in the bank, tripping her. Sasha crashed to the ground, smashing her head against a rock.
She felt the splitting pain for a second before she blacked out.
[Avulia]
********
The slow taps of footsteps echoed off the walls of the shadowy chamber, dying somewhere in between. He approached the altar in a dreamy glide, the raw power becoming more palpable with each step.
This was a place long forgotten, where the dark things of the world gathered to find shelter. It was a ancient place, built on sacred, bloodied ground. And at its heart resided his Master.
In the tainted sanctum in which he now stood, Ghirahim could feel his Master’s presence all around him, but long ago had his master’s reach been restricted to this space only. Ghirahim sought to remedy that.
He approached the altar, such a simple, drab thing, and with a flourish of his arm, bowed before it. His Master acknowledged him. A euphoric shudder ran through him.
It was not a great imposing figure to which he conversed, not even a living being. Around the altar was a great hand-drawn glyph. They depicted the sacred seals of the Goddesses, and myriad other ancient symbols, now scorched into the floor, the result of the power than had once coursed through them. Atop the altar rested a pedestal, also disappointingly uninspired, through which a sword was pierced. This sword acted as the final lock of his master’s imprisonment.
Ghirahim had tried drawing out the sword, destroying it in all manner possible, oh how he had tried. But the casters of this ancient seal had left him only one option.
Behind the alter, retrofitted into the old sanctum, were three impressively large crystals. Geometric designs ran along the floor from these three crystals to the altar in the center, a sort of power conduit.
Two of these conduits were lit up halfway to the altar, one blue, one green. The short circuit would soon be mended.
He stood there a minute, drinking in his master’s presence, listening to a voice only he could hear, when another from one of the crystals spoke to him. “Haven’t you spent enough time loitering here?”
Irritation flashed through Ghirahim, the speaker obviously not aware of the conversation that was taking place. But he chose to indulge her. Leisurely, he strolled around and approached the crystal from which the voice issued.
“I certainly don’t come here for your company.”
The woman inside the crystal, Nayru, did not respond.
Ghirahim gave a derisive chuckle. “Can you really not feel his presence?”
“I feel only a filthy darkness and empty threats.”
Ghirahim’s lip quirked. She had always been the mouthy one. “Pity.”
“Your plan of resurrection will never succeed,” the other one, Farore, said. “It never has, and it never will.”
“Oh?” Ghirahim turned his attention to her. “You know, I never could quite remember just what it is you were supposed to be the goddess of. Was it courage? Or stupidity?”
She scowled at him. Ghirahim stepped closer to her crystal and met her gaze with dark, hollow eyes. Unconsciously, she grasped her cloak, the same one Jona had given her, closer to her poorly concealed body.
Ghirahim smirked. “Oh don’t flatter yourself. I have no interest in your…” his eyes traveled down, “modesty. Or lack thereof. Your only purpose is to fuel the machine by which my Master will be resurrected.”
“And your only purpose is that of the servile puppet, dancing at your master’s whim, with no real value of his own.”
Ghirahim rounded on Nayru, thrusting his arm through the crystal, it passing through as if through the waters surface, and gripping the goddess’ throat. His fingers easily wrapped around her frail neck. She cried out in alarm, until her scream was choked to silence.
“I misspoke earlier. You have another use. Your tortured screams serve to amuse me. Somewhat.” He tightened his fingers, feeling consciousness slip from Nayru’s mortal form. A gleeful grin contorted his lips. Beside him, Farore pounded against the bonds of her prison, spitting curses.
Nayru slumped to the floor of her confines; Ghirahim withdrew his arm, its entirety now a glossy black.
He turned to Farore, leering at her through half-closed eyes. She blanched, and became silent.
Suddenly a great swell of anger and fury emanated from the altar. His master was not pleased by his decision to cause harm to the maiden sacrifice. Ghirahim smirked, coolly turning to face his master’s punishment.
He allowed himself to be thrown against the wall by a great unseen force, it pinning him there. Below him, Farore cried out.
Ghirahim felt himself being subjected to the exact same treatment he had just carried out. Adrenaline burned through him as he gasped for air, his mind growing frenzied. The pressure on this throat and in his lungs was unbearable. It was wonderful.
Just when his consciousness began to slip, he was released, dropping to the floor like a deadweight. He knelt before his master’s altar, coughing, when the final lash, like a slap on the wrist of a disobedient child, drew a bloody slash across his cheek.
“Thank you… Master,” he gasped. In silence, he left the sanctum.
Once outside, Ghirahim wiped the blood from his cheek, licking the dark liquid from his fingers.
A young man stood hidden in the shadows of the antechamber. He watched Ghirahim with narrowed eyes. “You actually enjoy that, don’t you?” he accused.
Ghirahim turned to the purple-clad figured leaning against the wall opposite him. “Pain is a gift, Vaati,” he told him. His lip curled. “I was always his favorite.”
The pale young man scoffed, rolling one red eye, the other hidden behind a sheaf of long white hair. “A fact that you never seem to tire of reminding us of.”
“Oh my, is someone feeling… jealous?” Ghirahim approached him, towering over the diminutive magician. Vaati folded his arms and looked away in a huff, unwilling to meet Ghirahim’s dark, patronizing eyes.
“Don’t worry, the master has a place for all his… children.” Ghirahim’s hand swept around Vaati’s jaw, and forced the younger man to face him. Vaati grimaced as Ghirahim’s other hand moved to stroke the small dark, gem embedded in his cheek. “The master has marked you as his own. This is a privilege you should be proud of. “
Vaati tore away from Ghirahim’s grasp. “Just like you so proudly display your ‘mark?’”
Ghirahim casually tossed the sheaf of hair covering the left side of his face, offering a momentary glimpse of his own gem. “It isn’t that I’m ashamed of the master’s blessing. It simply does not mesh well with my appearance.”
Vaati scoffed. Still as vain as ever.
“But appearances are a small thing to sacrifice. In exchange for his revival, the master has promised to grant us our every desire. Isn’t it exciting?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Vaati looked away, biting his lip. Behind laconic words, doubt shadowed Vaati’s mind, slowly building until it had eclipsed all his other emotions. Is this really what I want?
Ghirahim raised an eyebrow is mock surprise. “Not having second thoughts are you? You’re not feeling sorry for a certain other master you betrayed, are you?”
Vaati’s eyes flashed.
Ghirahim met this with more derisive laughter. “Guilt and sorrow are weaknesses you should have cast off long ago. But if you insist on holding to the virtue of betrayal, I assure you, your new master will not be as… forgiving, as your old one may have been.”
“Of course, material gain was never my reason for pledging myself to the master. My loyalty is given freely.” He met the magician’s eyes once more. “You know, you could learn a lot from me, Vaati.”
“If it means becoming target practice for the master, I’ll pass.”
Ghirahim chuckled. “You weren’t listening to me.” He learned in close to Vaati’s face, the younger man obviously uncomfortable. “Pain is a gift. It teaches us what is important, and helps us understand other things, like loss and strife. Through these, one can gain power, endurance, strength. Revel in it. Pass it on.” He plucked a single hair from the young magician‘s scalp, causing him to yip with pain. “And cut this ridiculous hair of yours; you look like a woman.”
Rage flashed through Vaati, dying to be expressed. The instant before it boiled over, Vaati suppressed it, resealed it.
“Look who’s talking….” he muttered instead. Long ago he’d make a pact to himself never to bend to peer pressure from the likes of Ghirahim, he knew that anger was exactly the reaction he‘d been hoping to induce. He would not give him that satisfaction.
Ghirahim sighed, making a show of his mock disappointment. “You really are hopeless.”
“Hey! Hey guess what!” A new voice entered the room. A child-like being dressed in scraggly orange clothes ran up to the two of them. “I found the Din-lady.”
“Oh?” Vaati indulged the younger one. “Where?”
“On the outskirts of Lanayru. There’s a boy with her. They were training with swords.”
Ghirahim said nothing, a satisfied smirk creeping onto his face.
“Well then, I guess its time for the Master’s favorite to shove off and do his bidding,” Vaati glanced at Ghirahim.
“Oh I don’t feel like going out today, why don’t you go instead, Vaati? “
Vaati leapt away from the wall, indignant. “Me? But you‘re the one--” He stopped suddenly, aware of his outburst. Ghirahim guffawed, and Vaati’s face burned when he realized he’d given the demon lord what he wanted.
“Oh I think you should go. You definitely need the practice,”
Vaati clenched his fists.
Ghirahim turned to leave, carelessly waving his arm in dismissal. “Veran should already be out in the field, perhaps you can learn some pointers from her. Besides…” he paused darkly. “He’s not ready for me yet.”
Vaati’s glare followed Ghirahim as he exited the chamber. He made no further protest, but once he was sure Ghirahim was out of earshot, he groaned. Just because he was the newest recruit to this little family, didn’t mean he should be subject to all this hazing. He was stuck with it now. Sullenly, he turned to the messenger. “Let’s go, Skullkid.”
The little one nodded. The exited together.
“Vaati?” Skullkid looked up at him, his shaggy orange hat no longer obstructing his face. His glowing red eyes stared at the magician expectantly from their places on his black, wrinkled face, similarly pocked with a dark crystal. “Do you think when we capture the Din-lady, that Master will tell me where my friends are?”
“Sure kid,” Vaati answered half-heartedly. “Sure.”
And that's all I have typed so far. I have about seven written pages in my notebook yet that's still fresh, and I plan to update the story with that soon, as well as continue on with it. Let me know what you think!
[Vivaereth]
Link lay on the soft grass looking up at the stars. They seemed so far away from Faron Village. They made him think about the goddesses, who left for the heavens so long ago. He wondered if they still thought about Hyrule, or if they had moved on to some other world. At any rate, he was glad that they had left behind the Triforce to help the people of his world. Link couldn't remember a time when there were problems in the village. Life here was true paradise, and the only evils that existed here were those in the legends of old, the legends of the Hero of Time, Link's namesake.
"Link!" He heard his name shouted from across the clearing. He rolled over and saw Jona running towards him. They had been close friends for as long as he could remember. Link sat up, waiting for Jona to reach him.
Jona arrived panting. "Link... The professor just told me..." he said through big breaths. "There's going to be a meteor shower tonight!" Jona said excitedly.
Link stood up quickly, almost knocking his friend over. "That's great! There couldn't be a better night than tonight. Just look at the clear sky," he said as he arced his arm across the sky.
Jona nodded. "It should only be another minute or so. I can't wait! This will be amazing!"
The two friends lay down on the grass together, looking at the sky in anticipation, in silence. Suddenly the sky was lit up as a star streaked across the sky. A few followed it, and then hundreds of stars flew across their field of view.
At the tail end of the spectacle, one burned even brighter than the others. As they watched, it burst into flames. Link gasped. Jona couldn't speak. The star fell into Faron Woods with a crash that echoed through the village and off into the distance. The earth shook with a mighty tremor, and then everything was silent once again.
Link stood, and helped his friend up as well. How none of the other villagers had heard or felt the crash was beyond him. Seeing that nothing was damaged and no one was hurt, the tension ebbed into the night. Link looked at Jona, and he at him. "We have to see it!" This could be their only chance to see what a star looked like up close. Without another word, the friends ran off for Faron Woods together.
Link and Jona slowed as they neared the site of the fallen star. The woods here glowed with a faint green light. They cautiously approached. To their surprise, a beautiful woman stood where the star had fallen. The woman wore no clothes, but her long, luscious hair covered her body as if she did. She seemed delicate, like flower that might snap off in a storm, but carried a sense of surety and boldness.
Regardless, both boys averted their eyes in respect. Jona took off his cloak and held it out to her. The woman smiled and took it appreciatively, putting it on. The three stood there for several minutes. The only sound was that of the chirping crickets. Finally Link broke the silence. "I am Link, and this is Jona. Who are you?"
The woman smiled. She spoke eloquently. "Link, you can already answer that question, although you may not see it yet." Somehow, Link knew she spoke the truth. He didn't understand her answer, though, and he meant to ask her more of what she meant, but she spoke before he could. "You will understand in time. In the meanwhile, could you please show me to Lanayru Province? I am searching for my two sisters, and I think one may be there."
The boys agreed to lead the stranger out of the woods, but beyond there they would be of no help. They knew nothing of the other provinces. She seemed happy enough with that, so they walked with her towards the rest of Hyrule.
As they walked, Link wondered who this mysterious woman was. Maybe if he asked her about her sisters he would come to know her. He had just opened his mouth to do so when she said, "Link, Jona. I want you to trust me as much as I trust you. I believe that someone has followed me into the forest. If it is who I think it is, we are in great danger. I thought you should know before anything bad could happen. I might just be a bit paranoid, but it is quite possible that he is following us as we speak. We must be vigilant. Do not let anything go unnoticed." She leaned closer to Link and whispered in his ear, "If anything should happen to me, you must go to Lanayru Province and find my sister..." She trailed off for a moment, as though considering what she should say. She continued in a voice that was barely audible, "Find my sister Ryanu and tell her what happened to me." Link nodded in silent agreement.
Whoever the woman was, she was scared; she seemed like a victim. Of what Link was unsure. He knew that he had to do whatever it took to lead her out of the forest safely. He and Jona looked warily about their surroundings, searching every tree for malicious intent. Jona thought he felt someone watching him, but when he turned around to look, there was nobody there.
A short time later, a blinding flash of light lit up the forest. Link heard the woman scream, and several seconds later, once he could see again, he saw her chained to a tree with some kind of black cord. Her mouth was gagged. Link ran to her, but stopped short when he heard a strange voice say, "One more step and she dies." A shadowy figure stepped in front of her. Link couldn't see much of the figure, except for a bit of light hair and a cloak. The rest was completely covered in the shadows.
The figure started chanting something in a strange and terrifying tongue. A black portal began to open near the tree. Link tried to do something, and found that he was unable to move. With a giddy laugh, the figure untied the chains, and dragged the woman with him through the portal, which immediately began to close. As soon as it was gone, the boys could move again.
They couldn't believe what had just happened. Jona looked at Link. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words to use. The boys were dazed. Link snapped out of it first. "Jona! The lady asked me to find her sister in Lanayru. Go back to the village and tell the professor where I've gone. If you can, catch up with me there. We can't just leave; everyone will wonder where we are. We can't put them in danger. But we can't let that creep find the other two women too."
Jona nodded in agreement. "I'll talk to the professor. He may know of places where we could look for the other, too. I'll try to find you later!" he shouted as he ran back for the village. Link turned and started making his way out of the forest. He didn't have to run around trees for very long before he ran out into the open plains that made up the edge of Faron Province, bordering Lanayru.
When Link saw the enormity of the plains, he slowed to a walk. He could hardly make out an establishment in the distance, if it was even there. Even so, he wouldn't get anywhere just by looking, so he made for what seemed to be a small village to the north.
The sun had just begun to rise when Link reached the village. It wasn't much, just a handful of single-level buildings circled around a well, but to the residents it was home. As he entered the small village, Link noticed an elderly lady drawing water from the well. When he approached, she turned around.
"Well hello there, young lad," she said in a slow, crackly voice. "You're new to town. Is there something I can help you with?"
Link started to say yes, but she interrupted him promptly. "Oh, my dear. I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. How silly of me. It must be the old age finally setting in. I knew it would catch up with me sooner or later, and I'll be! It certainly has been later! Young lad, I am Eldreen, the elder of this village. Who might you be?"
Link really didn't listen to much of the old woman's ramblings; he didn't have the patience or the time. When she asked, he told her his name, albeit impatiently. She went on to say, "Welcome to Lara Village, Link. Now, is there something that I can help you with?"
She finally stopped talking long enough for Link to speak more than a word. "Yes, Eldreen. Could you..."
Eldreen cut him off again. "How rude of me! I forgot to offer you tea! My, what else have I been forgetting lately? Here, Link, come and have a cup of tea." She led him toward one of the small buildings. Link felt like he would be unable to control his patience for much longer. He had to find Ryanu as quickly as possible. He didn't have time for tea.
"With all due respect, Eldreen, but I am in a bit of a hurry. Could you just tell me..."
She interrupted again. "My, my. You younglings are quite impatient. You really must learn to take time to enjoy the fineties of life, like a nice cup of hot tea."
Link stopped walking. "Eldreen, I really must be going. I am supposed to be meeting someone in Lanayru this afternoon, and if I stay for tea, I don't believe I will get there on time. I'm coming from Faron Village, and I don't know the way. Could you just point me in the direction of Lanayru? If I find time, I'll come back sometime for tea. But right now, I really must set off for my meeting."
Eldreen replied, "Well, Link. Why didn't you say so? I would never keep someone from an important meeting. Lanayru is off over there," she said pointing to the northwest. "If you want to arrive before the afternoon, you'll have to head off now. I would go quickly, too, or you may be late. Have a safe journey!" she shouted after him; Link had already started off for Lanayru.
[Avulia]
By the time Link reached the river that served as the border between the Faron and Lanayru Provinces, the sun was at its peak. He was exhausted from travel, and his throat cried out for water. Link fell at the water‘s edge, and greedily drank.
In his fatigued state, a serene tune began to play in Link’s head. Only after taking several revitalizing drinks did he realize that the song was not a figment of his imagination, but was in fact adrift in the air around him.
He rose to his feet and followed the enchanting sound from its source beneath a vibrant olive tree aside the river. A woman sat at the bank, singing as she washed clothes on a river stone. She continued to sing, even as he approached her, and did not seem to notice his presence.
Link leaned against the tree’s trunk, amid the dappled shade, and listened to the woman’s peaceful melody. Finally, her voice grew soft and slow, and this quiet cadence delivered the song to its end.
“Would you like to hear another?” the woman asked. She turned and met Link’s eyes as if she had known he was there the entire time.
Link rose to his feet, nervously throwing an arm behind his head. It was as though he had been caught eavesdropping; his face colored in embarrassment.
The woman smiled. “Don’t worry,” she reassured him, “my songs are for whoever wishes to listen. Tell me,” she continued, “what is a young boy such as you doing so far way from home?”
Link opened his mouth and closed it, like a Hylian Bass gasping for air. She must have known from his unusual outfit and unfamiliar face that he was not from the area. That must have been it.
“Well, I’m looking for someone,” Link said meekly.
“Ah, you’re on a quest then.” The woman set aside her laundry and folded her hands. “Perhaps I can aid you in your quest. Who are you looking for?”
Link rubbed his cheek. “Uh, a lady I met in the woods sent me to find her sister. Someone named Ryanu.”
The woman with the beautiful voice pursed her lips, looking pensive. After a moment’s deliberation, she said, “It seems you’ve found her. I’m Ryanu.”
“Really?” Link exclaimed, incredulous of his good luck. “Well, um, then…” His mood sank when he realized that he did not know what he was supposed to tell Ryanu when he found her.
“Is my sister alright?” the woman, Ryanu asked, her voice already rising in apprehension. “Why did she send you, and not meet me herself?”
Link’s heart suddenly fluttered in panic. “That’s just it! She was captured!”
“Captured?” The boy could see Ryanu’s body tense, though her voice remained calm. “When? How?”
“A few days ago. Me and my friend Jona found her in the woods. We were looking for a meteor, and we found her. She wanted us to take her to Lanayru province to meet you, but along the way-- I don’t even really know what happened; it was so fast…”
“Go on,” Ryanu encouraged, haste tingeing her voice.
“…Out of nowhere some-- one, appeared out of the shadows, and took her away. They disappeared. Like magic!”
At first, Ryanu said nothing, her soft features drained of color. When she spoke again, her voice was surprisingly collected. “What of your friend, Jona?”
“He went back to our village to tell them where we were going. He said he’d catch up with me.”
Ryanu took a slow breath. Then she gathered up her laundry in a woven basket and stood. “It seems you’ll be in need of a place to stay until you’re friend arrives. You’re welcome to stay at my home. I’m just heading back now if you would like to accompany me.”
Link furrowed his brow. She no longer seemed at all concerned about her sister, as any sensible person would be. In a daze of confusion, he accepted her offer, and they started off towards the nearby town.
Link trailed behind Ryanu slightly, not being able to think of anything to talk about. The woman’s long waves of blonde curls bounced lightly and her pastel blue robe flowed with her smooth gait. She was quite beautiful, but Link realized it was a different kind of beauty from her sister. It was an older, more mature beauty.
They reached Ryanu’s house on the edge of Lanayru village. It was a simple adobe building adjoined to several others all down a row. They entered in silence.
The house was surprisingly spacious, given its outward appearance, and simply furnished. A kitchenette and open fireplace lay in one corner, a homely settee and bookshelf in another. A ladder indicated a second floor, where perhaps a sleeping arrangement might be located.
An ornately decorated mirror hung on one of the walls, seeming out of place in the modest furnishings. Its brass frame was carved with intricate swirls, and along the inside, a frosted glass rim bore what Link knew to be ancient Hyrulian runes, though he could not read them.
Ryanu set aside her laundry hamper. “Make yourself comfortable,” she told him, as she approached the mirror.
Without explanation, she took up a small clay jar and with a brush began to paint what looked like a large symbol on the mirror’s surface with clear liquid. The glass seemed to become fluid and rippled at Ryanu’s strokes. Link watched in amazement as the rippling surface settled, and displayed a face, but not the face of Ryanu, rather the face of another woman.
“Sister,” Ryanu said, “I bear worrisome news.”
“Oh no,” said the woman in the mirror, seemingly less than impressed. “What is it now?”
“You will not take such a callous tone when you hear what I have to say. The last sister has arrived.”
“How is that a bad thing?”
“She was captured before she could reach us.”
The mirror-sister grew deathly silent. Then she said, “Who would do such a thing?!’
“We both know who has done it;” Ryanu reminded her darkly, “do not pretend you don’t. Who has the most to gain from preventing our reunion?”
The mirror-sister grew deathly silent.
Link could contain his curiosity no longer. “How are you doing that?” His legs dared to approach the mirror.
“Who’s that?” the mirror-sister asked sharply.
“He is the messenger, Link. The one who brought me news of our sister in her stead.”
Link was distracted briefly by the fact that he could not remember ever giving Ryanu his name.
“Are you sure this is a good idea? Him listening to us. Don’t you think you should erase his memory; send him back to his blissful ignorance?” The mirror-sister posed.
Ryanu shook her head. “I do not believe in modifying memories. Besides, they are already involved, he and his friend, who will be joining us later.”
“There’s another one?” The mirror-sister gave an exasperated sigh. “So what do we do now?”
Ryanu opened her mouth to speak when a new voice cut into the dialogue.
“You’re not going to do anything.”
The two standing at the mirror whirled around to find a third figure casually leaning against the wall next to the door, which had not been opened since their arrival.
The newcomer gave a sudden outburst of laughter. “How surprised you look! Had you not noticed my arrival? I’ve been here for several minutes….” His voice rose and fell in a rich fit of amusement.
“You….” Link breathed. He recognized the pale figure, no longer swathed in shadows, as the one who had abducted the woman in the forest.
The androgynous man before them was of slight frame, but overflowing with self assuredness. Beneath angular brightly painted eyes sat a predatory grin.
“I’m quite the talented individual, but never would I have thought I would be able to outsmart the Goddess of Wisdom,” the newcomer boasted, quickly swiping a sheaf of white hair away from his left eye, offering a momentary glimpse at a crystal like structure on his cheek, which the sheaf seemed to be hiding.
“Goddess of--” Link looked at Ryanu.
“Really. How wise it was of you to take in the mortal boy the other sent to find you. I’ve been following him since Faron….” He licked his lips and glanced at Link.
Ryanu, if that was truly her name, stepped in front of Link, and the latter broke out into a cold sweat. I lead him here?
“Ghirahim!” the mirror-sister spat. “If you so much as lay a finger on her I’ll--”
“Oh don’t grow impatient, my dear. You’re turn is coming. I already know where to find you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “How--”
“As I see you now, you are standing in front of sandstone brick, are you not? Quite signature of one region in particular, if I recall….”
There was a moment of charged silence. Then Ryanu spoke quietly. “End the transmission now.”
“But--” her sister protested.
“Just do it!” she ordered. “I will… be fine.”
After one last worried glance, the mirror’s surface became reflective once more.
“Oh yes…” the man called Ghirahim drawled, “she will be quite alright in my… capable hands.” As he spoke, the air around his fingers began to darken, and an evil looking haze enveloped them.
Ryanu lowered her head. “You cannot fight that which is preordained.”
Ghirahim chuckled. “Neither can you.”
With that, he flung his arms outward, and cast the dark haze Ryanu’s way. Ryanu shoved Link aside before bearing the brunt of the attack. Her scream pierced the air, a terror-stricken note. And then she was no more.
Link rolled upright, regaining his breath. When he saw that he had failed to protect Ryanu, a flame ignited inside him. But unlike the previous encounter, Link found that the abductor was still present. Ghirahim stared down at Link with patronizing eyes.
“You…. You!” Link roared, as he stumbled to his feet and charged the man. He launched a punch at Ghirahim, which the latter caught, as if it were no more than a river stone flung his way.
“Yes, I,” he said, effortlessly blocking yet more blows. “Don’t be disrespectful like those wretched women. Though my name is Ghirahim I like to indulge myself in my full title. I would have you called me Demon Lord Ghirahim.”
“I don’t care!” Link shouted, throwing another punch. Ghirahim caught it, but this time did not release it.
“What a rude little boy you are. At least have the decency of returning the introduction.”
Link struggled against the demon lord’s grip, finding himself unable to pry his fist away.
“What is your name?” Ghirahim asked venomously, his voice now deathly deliberate. He tightened his fingers, and Link fell to his knees, crying out as the bones in his hand were nearly broken. “Link!” he gasped.
“Link, is it?” Ghirahim relaxed his grip immediately. He crossed the open room, as Link lay crumpled, cradling his hand.
“Then tell me, Link, have you ever received tutelage with a blade?”
“Huh?” Link looked over his shoulder, and found the sinister looking edge of a black sword poised over his neck. He was frozen, as sweat collected upon his brow.
“No?” Ghirahim seemed disappointed, but regained his predatory grin not a moment after. He twirled the blade around and instead offered Link the hilt. Disoriented, Link took it.
“Then I shall have the honor of being your first instructor.” Ghirahim drew back a few paces, and with a flutter of sparks, a second, twin blade appeared in the air before him. He snatched it up, and to Link’s repulsion, drew his tongue across its length.
“Take up that sword,” he ordered, “and defend yourself.”
[Vivaereth]
Realizing that reason would be futile against the demon lord, Link resolved to fight. Not that he had a choice. Link held the sword with his left hand, his weak hand, since the other was injured. He swung it wildly towards Ghirahim, who deflected it easily.
Ghirahim looked at him pitifully. “That can’t be the best you can do. Really, Link. Try and kill me. I know you want to....”
Link swung it at Ghirahim again, but to no avail.
Ghirahim sighed. “If you put any less effort into our fight, I might die of boredom. Your indifference upsets me. But my anger isn’t for you. It’s those cursed Goddesses! They make my heart boil with rage! They really have quite a detrimental effect on my personality, don’t you agree? So instead of killing you now, I think I’ll take out my anger on one of them. How about my most recent victim? What did you call her... Ryanu?”
Link slashed at him as hard as he could. He had to keep Ghirahim from hurting Ryanu. The demon lord caught Link’s sword between two fingers. “Let’s not be getting ahead of ourselves now. You wouldn’t want to end our battle before it reaches its climax, now would you?”
Link struggled against his grip, but could not free his sword. Ghirahim gave it a tug, and jerked it out of Link’s hand. Seeing the demon lord with both swords, and himself defenseless, Link crept to the back of the room. Suddenly, he heard the tortured screams of Ryanu echo off the walls of her house. He winced, unable to do anything to help her. The screams rose in pitch until Link thought his ears would bleed. Lifting his hands to them, he realized that they actually were. Ghirahim laughed giddily at their pain, as though it made his day. It infuriated Link to see such cruelty.
Ghirahim suddenly threw Link’s sword at him. Link tried to dodge out of the way, but the blade sliced through his right arm. Link screamed, but then the rage took over. He picked up the sword. Now that he had a weapon, he could fight the demon lord. Link rushed at him, attacking with a flurry of bladed fury. Ghirahim blocked each blow casually.
Finally, Link tired, and could fight no more. Ghirahim looked at him sadistically. “That’s all? I really was expecting a bit more, but it was certainly an improvement. You need practice. I suggest that you keep up with the blade, Link. You wouldn’t want to be caught off guard when we next meet. Perhaps I should give you some encouragement. I suppose I could find some encouraging people in Faron Village, don’t you?”
With that, Ghirahim snapped his fingers and disappeared.
For some reason, the vanishing act didn’t surprise Link. Then the pain of his arm washed over him and dropped him to his knees, clutching his arm. The sword clattered to the ground, stained with his blood. He screamed until he was hoarse. Then he cried, feeling helpless against Ghirahim, unable to save Ryanu.
And then the demon lord had threatened Faron Village. What did his loved ones have to do with the sisters, or Ghirahim’s plans? But Ghirahim had said that he would need inspiration if Link wasn’t any better with the sword when they met again. Link resolved not to need encouragement.
A red haze clouded his vision, and he slowly passed into a deep slumber.
He opened his eyes slowly, and squinted in the bright light. The air smelled of freshly cut flowers. He sat upright on the cot on which he rested, which made his head throb. He heard someone say, “Look! He’s waking up!” A woman, really just a girl, came to him, and said he should lie back down, or he might hit his arm against something. Link winced at the pain he suddenly felt. It wasn’t as bad as before, but it still hurt.
He didn’t lie back down, and the girl realized that it would be useless for her to press the issue. She smiled at him and said, “I’m Sasha. I’ve been taking care of you since we found you in Ryanu’s house. Do you want to talk about what happened?”
Link shook his head. He didn’t know if he would even be able to speak, and the whole ordeal was too much for him to go through all over again. Sasha smiled knowingly. “I’m sure you’ll feel like talking later. In the mean time, could you at least tell me your name?”
Link struggled to speak, but he managed to say, “Link,” before he had a coughing fit. The strain of the coughs caused his arm wound to reopen. Sasha said, “Oh my. Your arm simply does not want to heal, does it? What did you do to it?” She began wrapping it with a fresh cloth. “My mother runs the potion shop. She makes the best red potions in Lanayru, but for some reason they don’t heal your arm. She tried every recipe, but nothing worked. In time, though, it should heal naturally. That is, unless you keep reopening it,” she added with a grin.
Link didn’t think it was funny, but he smiled anyway. Sasha seemed to realize that it was a fake smile, because after that she worked in silence.
After seeing to his bandage, Sasha left the small room. Link looked around the room. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but he knew he couldn't afford to lose any time. The third sister was in trouble. Ghirahim said he already knew where to find her. And he knew that he would meet Ghirahim there, which meant that he needed to practice with the sword.
The sword. Where was the sword? Link looked frantically throughout the room, and saw nothing. He'd have to ask Sasha when she came back.
Link sat on the cot, unsure of what to do. He knew he had to leave, and soon, or he would be unable to find the sister before Ghirahim. But he also needed that sword, or he would be unable to fend off the demon lord.
Link didn't have to wait for very long. Sasha walked back into the room with a smile, which seemed to hide some other, deeper emotion. She looked at Link, then pulled a chair to the side of his cot.
"I brought you a cough syrup. Hopefully that will at least help your recovery." She gave him the medicine, and continued. "Link, I need to know what happened in Ryanu's house. You have to tell me."
Link looked at her seriously. "Sasha. I went looking for Ryanu, because her sister asked me to in Faron Woods. I came all the way to Lanayru province, and met her by the river. She led me to her house, and was going to talk to me." He couldn't tell her that she painted on a mirror and started talking to her other sister, or Sasha would think he was lying to her. "Then some stranger came in and somehow made her disappear. Then he gave me a sword and made me fight him. I never managed to strike him, not even once. He's the one who cut my arm. Then he vanished, just like Ryanu. I must have passed out from the pain shortly afterward."
Sasha looked at him incredulously. "Wow. You tell a great story. Now what really happened? What did you have against Ryanu, and what did you do with her?" She paused to let him answer, but Link just sat there looking at her. She didn't believe him. Even worse, she thought he had something to do with Ryanu's disappearance.
Sasha looked startled at his silence. "You actually thought I would believe that? I might be a girl, but I'm not stupid. That story wouldn't even fool a child. If you would tell me what really happened, maybe I can get the elders to lessen your punishment."
When Link didn't respond, she said, "No? Fine, then. I have no further business here." As she got up to leave, Link thought he saw her eyes water.
Before she could go, Link asked her, "Sasha, what happened to my sword?"
She turned back and looked at him sorrowfully. "The elders tried to melt it, but it wouldn't melt. It wouldn't even get warm. They buried it. Not like it really matters. They plan to execute you at midnight." With that, she turned and walked out the door.
[Avulia]
A chill ran through Link. Executed? But he hadn’t done anything. He had said so. Why couldn’t they believe him. His tale was far fetched, he knew, but they couldn’t prove he’d done it. How could they convict him?
A stinging in his arms made him realize that he had been tensing his muscles; his arms were shaking. Was he going to die here? Waylaid by a misunderstanding. Though the demon lord Ghirahim terrified him, the thought that he was going to be executed even before he got the chance to face him again terrified him even more. The thought of his death being insignificant when there was so much that he had vowed to do was unbearable. Tears stung his eyes.
A metallic clatter cut through the air, startling Link. His pulse racing, he frantically glanced about the room. His eyes met with something on the floor, and his heart skipped a beat.
Resting on the cold tile, where nothing had been moments before, was a slender black sword. Ghirahim’s sword.
Swallowing hard, Link slipped out of his sickbed and crept over to the phantom sword. To ensure it was not a figment of his imagination, he reached out and quickly tapped the blade. The cool touch of metal and the faint sound of it scraping along the tile were its response. Link grasped the sword’s pommel.
Hadn’t that girl Sasha said they had buried the sword they found with Link because it could not be melted? How had it ended up here? Link bit his lip.
Just looking at the sword lit a spark in him, reigniting his commitment to save the Sisters. He looked around the room. There was a simple wooden door on the far wall, the one Sasha had exited from, no doubt locked. Link tried anyway, and found his assumption to be correct. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to leave through that door anyway.
Next to the bed, there was a narrow window close to the ceiling. The glass was latticed with metal, so he could not simply break it, and a padlock clung firmly to the latch. There were no other exits, but Link was determined. He would not just sit patiently and let them come to execute him. He would not die here.
Climbing onto the nightstand, Link attempted to pry the padlock apart with the sword. No matter how much weight he put on the lever he’d created, neither the sword nor the padlock gave way.
Finally, he resorted to his only other option. He took aim, and swung the sword at the padlock. The recoil sent him reeling, and almost caused him to lose his footing. The clatter of the connection was also worryingly loud, but it was a risk he would have to take. He continued, putting a little more strength into his swing each time. He saw a scar beginning to form on the padlock.
He gave one last swing, stronger than all the others. There was a loud chik as the lock gave way and the window swung open. There was an even louder crash when Link was sent tumbling off the nightstand, overturning it in the process.
Link winced in pain, his injuries not bearing the brunt of the fall well. There was a commotion outside his door. They had heard him, and it wouldn’t be long before he was discovered.
Heart racing, Link rose and righted the nightstand, pushing it back into position. He scrambled up the wall and crawled out the window, which was set at ground level. In his periphery, he saw the door of the room behind him open just as he pulled his feet through the window.
There was an outburst when they saw him, but Link did not look back. He ran.
He did not know Lanayru town at all, and his first instinct was to get as far away from it as possible. His wounds screamed from the strain of his escape, but he couldn’t afford to let himself get caught.
The townspeople stared at him when he passed, and from behind him, Link heard the door’s of Sasha’s house be flung open and several people rush out, barking orders to find the escapee. Link ducked behind a food stand and continued down another road.
A sharp spasm of pain caused him to stumble, and the black sword slipped from his fingers. He heard footsteps around the corner that he’d just turned and clenched his teeth. Another moment and he’d be spotted. He turned away and abandoned the sword, better to lose it than be captured again.
Out of nowhere, two arms shot out and entangled him. They dragged him into a dark side alley, the hand over his mouth preventing him from screaming.
“Shh. Be quiet.” It was a woman’s voice. His captor pressed herself against the wall of the alley, holding Link immobile. Several running men passed by the alley’s exit in a blur.
“Okay.” The woman’s grip relaxed after a moment. “But we’re not out of this yet. Hold on.” Before Link could protest, the woman scooped him up and proceeded down the alley carrying him in her arms. The alley ended in a dead end, but the woman ran right for it. To Link’s amazement, when they reached the end, the woman leapt up and sprang back and forth up the wall until they stood atop the buildings roof.
The woman looked down at Link, who was still agape at the stunt. Almost teasingly she said, “Sorry, you’re not fast enough. I’m gonna have to carry you until we get out of here.”
The woman effortlessly began sprinting along the rooftops, jumping from one to the other. It seemed that carrying Link did not inhibit her movement at all. Below, militia swarmed about the streets, completely oblivious to them.
They reached the edge of town, and the woman leaped off the outer wall. She continued running until they were a safe distance away from town. Only when they encountered the river with a sloping bank for cover did they stop.
Gently, the woman set him down. “Wow, you got scraped up quite a bit didn’t you?” She lifted his arm, his bandages already soaked through with blood.
She began to unwrap the bandages. It was the first time that Link got a clear look at his rescuer’s face, his heart leapt when he realized that it was the sister he’d seen Nayru conversing with through the mirror.
“Y-- you,” Link stammered.
“Yeah, me,” she said nonchalantly, turning to wash the bandages in the stream.
“How did you get here so fast?” Link asked. “How did you escape from Ghirahim.”
She glanced back at him, her brow furrowed. “So fast? It’s been almost a week. As far as I know, you were out for that long.”
Link frowned.
She returned and began to redress his wounds. “And you make it sound like Ghirahim actually succeeded in capturing me. He tried. He certainly tried, but I was able to fend him off. The annoying fop….”
“You… fended him off?” Link was stunned.
She gave him a stern look. “What do you take me for? I am the incarnation of the Goddess of the Power.” She tied off his bandages, giving them a savage tug. Link winced. “There.”
For the first time, Link noticed the sword belted to the woman‘s hip. He felt a flood of disappointment in himself, that he had believed that Ghirahim was nigh invincible simply because he had bested the untrained Link. He allowed his mind to wander back to the strange happenings of recent days. “Then I guess, it really is true. You’re Din, aren’t you?”
She leaned back against the slope of the hill and sighed. “Yeah.” Her hair, a dark red, almost black shade, fanned out under her head. It had been pulled away from her face in a ponytail. Her eyes were a stern brown but her lips seemed to be surprisingly supple. Link was again taken aback by the unique beauty that each of the sisters seemed to possess.
“Then, Ryanu, she was Nayru. And the woman I met in the woods was Farore?” Link concluded, recounted the other two of the triune goddesses.
Din nodded.
“How did… How are you… here?” Link could think of no better way to phrase his question. “Why are you here?”
Din sat upright. “You have to understand Link, there is a kind of cycle of rebirth that we, the Goddesses of the Triforce go through. Every millennium or so, Nayru, Farore, and myself arrive in the land of Hyrule as mortals. We must meet up and must complete a ritual before we return to the Sacred Realm. We all arrive at different times and places, so this can be difficult. I’ve already been here for three years, Nayru for a year less. Farore only just arrived.
“Now that we’re all in Hyrule, there are those who would use our power for their own devices. Take advantage of us while we‘re in a weakened mortal state. Ghirahim’s master is one of them. It is a danger we’ve managed to evade in our previous times in Hyrule, but this time, they got the drop on us. They can’t use our power without all three of us present, but in the meantime I’m the only one left.
“Farore had only just arrived. She didn’t stand a chance. We hoped that we would have contact with her before Ghirahim and the others did. We were too late.” She turned, and gave a soft smile to Link. “Thank you for trying to protect her.”
There it was again. Trying. Trying but not succeeding. It seemed like that was all he was good for. The fiery feeling again ignited in Link.
“I want to come with you,” he said at once.
Din was not fazed by this. “Look kid, I appreciate you’re eagerness to help, but this is too dangerous for you. You need to go home and hope that you don’t get caught up in the crossfire. I can handle myself.”
“You don’t understand,” Link insisted. “I was with both of your sisters when they got captured, and both times, I couldn’t do anything to stop it from happening. I should have helped them, but I couldn’t.”
“Exactly my point kid,” Din said.
Link gritted his teeth. “I…” He swallowed, nervous about how she would react to what he would say next. “I want you to take me on as your apprentice!”
Her eyebrow quirked, but she did not reject his idea. Not yet.
He continued. “Ghirahim challenged me. He let me live, so that one day I might face off with him again. I’m not going to disappoint him. I want you to train me with the sword so that one day, when meet him on the field of battle again, I’ll be able to pay him back for what he did to you and your sisters and for what he did to me. I was useless to stop him before, but I will not allow him to take you. In exchange for your teachings, I’ll protect you.” Link swallowed. “Even to my death.”
Din was silent for a long moment. Then the corners of her mouth began to tug. Soon she began laughing. Link was mortified. He had just made a complete fool of himself.
Then to his surprise, she said, “I like your spunk, kid! There’s only one problem, my new apprentice. You don’t have a sword to train with.”
Link’s hopes fell. What good was a teacher if he had no sword to learn with.
Just then, a ways away Link heard a metallic clatter on river rocks. Disbelief slowing his reaction, he tilted his head aside.
There on the bank a few feet away laid the sword Ghirahim had given him.
“Well, look at that,” Din breathed.
Link crawled over and picked up the sword for the second time that day. “…How?”
“Did Ghirahim give you that sword?” Din asked.
Link nodded.
“Heh. That explains it then.” She folded her arms. “He’s cursed it to always return to you. Probably thinks its funny…” she muttered. A sly smile crossed her face. “Who are we to not accept such generous charity. Do you still wish to learn the ways of the sword?”
Link gave the affirmative.
“Then I am your master. And that,” she pointed, “is your sword.”
[Vivaereth]
Link dipped his head in respect. "Thank you for accepting me, Master."
Din scoffed at him. "None of that foolishness. Deference will win you no battles. You must train with your whole self. You must be prepared to kill me."
Link looked up at the goddess in shock. "K-kill you?" he stammered.
She slowly drew a knife out of a sheath hidden beneath the sleeve of her dress. As she did, she held Link's attention, saying, "Yes. You have to try as hard as you can to defeat me. Remember, I am the incarnation of the Goddess of Power. I won't let you get that close." She took a step towards Link. "And besides, when you fight Ghirahim, you'll need to be assured in your skills. When that battle ensues, I intend to fight with you. I need to know that I can count on you, too." She stepped closer again, within arm's reach.
Link said, "I'll try as hard as I can. When will we start?"
Din stabbed forward at Link's chest. He gasped as she stopped close enough that he could feel the tip of the blade prick coldly at his skin. She said, "We already have, from the moment I accepted your request. I can see why you fared so poorly against Ghirahim."
"But... but that wasn't fair! I wasn't expecting you to attack me without a warning!"
The goddess sighed. "Lesson Number One: Expect your enemy to attack you when you least expect it. Link, if I was actually intent on killing you, why would I tell you beforehand? Now, put the sword away. Once you fully understand what I've just told you, come back and we'll train some more. That's enough for now."
Link questioned his mentor. "But we just started...."
Din replied sternly. "Go."
Link dipped his head in respect and turned to leave. Before he could even take a step, Din had her left arm wrapped around him. He felt the length of the blade along his throat. He gulped. "Never obey your enemy."
Link slumped his shoulders, but tightened his grip on Ghirahim's sword. "Yes, Master," he said dejectedly.
Din sighed, relaxing her grip on the apprentice. "I understand that you're new to this, but at least try to apply common sense to the situation." She raised her knife beside her neck, poised to strike again. "Now turn around, and let's...."
Link spun around, the sword arcing up toward Din. She parried the unexpected swing awkwardly with her own blade. She smiled, saying, "Well! It seems that I should listen to my own advice as well as my pupil. I like your progress, and you're making it faster than I expected. Perhaps Farore wasn't as naive as I thought when she created you Hylians...." she trailed on to herself.
Din sheathed the knife. Drawing her sword, she said, "Now that you understand the basics, it's time for the real fun to begin!
*******
It had been a few days since he and Link had parted. Jona had gone back to the village, and told the professor where they were going. The next day, he set out for Lanayru Village. When he got there, he could find no sign of Link, or Ryanu for that matter. He had wondered if the strange man had found them.
Jona had gone back to Faron Village again, asking the professor how he could find his friend. The professor had told him of the loftwings, a race of massive birds that had once lived alongside the Hylians. They lived on the mountain in the south of Faron Province, and the professor thought that they might assist him.
So Jona left for the mountain, rushing so he could find Link before anything bad could happen to him. It had taken him a day to reach the mountain, and another to climb the treacherous path to the top.
Jona reached the summit, surprisingly flat, yet still rugged with boulders and crags here and there. They almost made a perfect circle of stone on the rocky plateau.
Jona walked cautiously to the center of the circle, questioning what he had gotten himself into. He looked around for any sign of the loftwings, but didn't see anything. He turned this way and that, trying to find something that would warrant his prolonged presence atop the mountain.
A rush of wind tore at Jona as a shadow engulfed him. A large gold-feathered bird with a plume of crimson feathers perched on the largest rocky outcropping. Seconds later, other loftwings came to the mountain peak, stoically showing their rainbowed assortment of contour feathers. The birds that arrived after the first were smaller, but still quite large.
The golden loftwing spoke in the strange language of the large birds. Jona was taken aback when he realized that he could understand exactly what the bird said.
"Look, Stratus. A human. It has been a long time, hasn't it? And just in time for dinner, too!" the golden bird said to a smaller, gray loftwing beside him.
Stratus coughed to command the attention of the other. "Nimbus! Mind your manners. You can't eat a Hylian before he explains why he came here. He may have important information for us. Let us hear him speak first."
Nimbus looked abashed. "All right, all right. But he looks so tender!"
The loftwings all looked at Jona intently, and somewhat ravenously. Jona felt out of place. Were they planning on... eating him? He swallowed. Hopefully his story would be good enough to prevent his demise.
"Noble loftwings," he began, trembling slightly, "I come to ask your assistance." Jona went on to describe the situation with the woman in the woods and that he needed to find her sister and his friend somewhere in Lanayru. "Could one of you fly me over Lanayru so I can find them quickly?"
Nimbus began to caw uncontrollably. Jona suddenly realized just how ridiculous his request was, and reddened.
Not long afterwards, Nimbus, between caws, said to the others, "Did you hear that? He wants to ride one of us! He wants to rule over us!" His words instigated an uproar in the assembly of loftwings. Looking over at Stratus, he said, "Let me eat him now!"
The gray loftwing nodded. Nimbus reared up, preparing to strike. Jona paled. He was going to be eaten now. All because the loftwings thought he wanted to rule them. He was going to die for a misunderstanding.
What if he could show them the truth? It was worth a try.
"Wait!" Jona shouted, on the verge of tears. The loftwing ignored him. "I don't want to rule you! I just need your help!" Jona closed his eyes and fell to his knees. His friend could be in trouble. Link could be waiting for him right now. He would be waiting forever, then. Jona braced himself for the blow, not that it would do any good.
Nothing happened. Jona opened his eyes. The loftwings were staring at him wide-eyed. Nimbus looked at Stratus. "Did he just say what I think he said?"
Stratus looked equally shocked. "That's impossible."
Jona didn't know what was going on. They were just going on, and now they were talking about impossibilities? "What's impossible? What do you think I said?" he asked.
The congregation of loftwings gasped. Status said, "He can understand us? Nimbus, do you know what this means?"
The golden bird perked up. "I can eat him?"
"No!" Stratus said in disgust. "You younglings need to brush up on your history. This means he is descended from the Sky People. We can't touch him because of the treaty!"
"So I can't eat him. But he looks so tender! All right, Sky Boy. Your request is denied. Leave now, before I change my mind and break the treaty."
Jona didn't need to be told twice. "Thank you," was all he said before he made his way down the mountain.
So that was it, then. Almost a week wasted when he could have been looking for Link. Jona was disgusted with himself. What had made him think this was a good idea?
Halfway down the mountain, Jona saw the tree line. He thought it odd that one part of the line seemed to show more of the sky than the rest, but couldn't explain his feelings.
When he reached the trees, he understood it. It wasn't the sky. It was a sky-blue loftwing. He must not have descended fast enough before they changed their minds. Now what was he going to do?
When it saw him, the loftwing took flight. After circling a few times overhead, it landed before Jona.
He was shocked when the bird dipped its head in respect. "I am Freefall," he said.
"Jona," said the Hylian. "Wh..." he began, but the loftwing cut him off.
"Not now. Climb on my back. I'll explain on the way to Lanayru."
Jona mounted Freefall in amazement. Now they could start looking for Link.
The loftwing took gracefully to the sky. The wind rushed past them as they flew toward Lanayru Province.
It was not long before Freefall spoke. "Jona, long ago, your people lived in a place called Skyloft. The only way to travel was by flight. We loftwings formed a treaty with your people. We would fly them from place to place as long as they respected our sacred places. Since the treaty was made, a bond would form between each person and loftwing.
"You are a descendant of those people. One sign of this is your ability to understand our speech. From the moment I first saw you I knew this to be true. I have bonded with you. We are companions."
*******
Sasha ran. Past the adobe buildings of Lanayru Village she ran. It was almost on to her. She had to flee. It could track her. She had to escape.
Did she just see a shadow in the alley she just passed? She hoped not, and ran. Why did she have to run so much? When would she lose it?
She ran into a side street and rested against a wall, breathing heavily. It was gone, wasn't it? Why did it want her? Why couldn't it have found somebody else, like Link? Why did such bad things have to happen to good people like herself?
Heavy breathing near her jolted her out of her thoughts. It had found her. She ran again. She had to.
Sasha fled the village. It wasn't safe anymore. Ever since the murderer named Link had come, it hadn't been right. Then it had found her. She couldn't let it get her. The mere thought terrified her.
Whatever it was, it wasn't human. Whatever it was, it wanted her. Sasha screamed, a bone-chilling sound that split the night air. If only she could make it to the stream, maybe she could lose it.
Starlight reflected off the gently rippling stream. She was almost there! Her body ached for a rest; she didn't know if she would make it in time.
Relief flooded through her as she heard the splashes of her footsteps, as she felt the cold water through her shoes. But still, it chased her relentlessly. Sasha turned and ran along the stream. It followed her on the other side of the stream. Gasping for air, she knew she wouldn't be able to run like this for much longer. She tried to scream. Her throat was too hoarse to make a sound.
Crying, Sasha stumbled. She rushed to her feet again. It had stopped with her, along the other side of the stream. Maybe it didn't like the water. She hoped so.
Her foot hit a rock in the bank, tripping her. Sasha crashed to the ground, smashing her head against a rock.
She felt the splitting pain for a second before she blacked out.
[Avulia]
********
The slow taps of footsteps echoed off the walls of the shadowy chamber, dying somewhere in between. He approached the altar in a dreamy glide, the raw power becoming more palpable with each step.
This was a place long forgotten, where the dark things of the world gathered to find shelter. It was a ancient place, built on sacred, bloodied ground. And at its heart resided his Master.
In the tainted sanctum in which he now stood, Ghirahim could feel his Master’s presence all around him, but long ago had his master’s reach been restricted to this space only. Ghirahim sought to remedy that.
He approached the altar, such a simple, drab thing, and with a flourish of his arm, bowed before it. His Master acknowledged him. A euphoric shudder ran through him.
It was not a great imposing figure to which he conversed, not even a living being. Around the altar was a great hand-drawn glyph. They depicted the sacred seals of the Goddesses, and myriad other ancient symbols, now scorched into the floor, the result of the power than had once coursed through them. Atop the altar rested a pedestal, also disappointingly uninspired, through which a sword was pierced. This sword acted as the final lock of his master’s imprisonment.
Ghirahim had tried drawing out the sword, destroying it in all manner possible, oh how he had tried. But the casters of this ancient seal had left him only one option.
Behind the alter, retrofitted into the old sanctum, were three impressively large crystals. Geometric designs ran along the floor from these three crystals to the altar in the center, a sort of power conduit.
Two of these conduits were lit up halfway to the altar, one blue, one green. The short circuit would soon be mended.
He stood there a minute, drinking in his master’s presence, listening to a voice only he could hear, when another from one of the crystals spoke to him. “Haven’t you spent enough time loitering here?”
Irritation flashed through Ghirahim, the speaker obviously not aware of the conversation that was taking place. But he chose to indulge her. Leisurely, he strolled around and approached the crystal from which the voice issued.
“I certainly don’t come here for your company.”
The woman inside the crystal, Nayru, did not respond.
Ghirahim gave a derisive chuckle. “Can you really not feel his presence?”
“I feel only a filthy darkness and empty threats.”
Ghirahim’s lip quirked. She had always been the mouthy one. “Pity.”
“Your plan of resurrection will never succeed,” the other one, Farore, said. “It never has, and it never will.”
“Oh?” Ghirahim turned his attention to her. “You know, I never could quite remember just what it is you were supposed to be the goddess of. Was it courage? Or stupidity?”
She scowled at him. Ghirahim stepped closer to her crystal and met her gaze with dark, hollow eyes. Unconsciously, she grasped her cloak, the same one Jona had given her, closer to her poorly concealed body.
Ghirahim smirked. “Oh don’t flatter yourself. I have no interest in your…” his eyes traveled down, “modesty. Or lack thereof. Your only purpose is to fuel the machine by which my Master will be resurrected.”
“And your only purpose is that of the servile puppet, dancing at your master’s whim, with no real value of his own.”
Ghirahim rounded on Nayru, thrusting his arm through the crystal, it passing through as if through the waters surface, and gripping the goddess’ throat. His fingers easily wrapped around her frail neck. She cried out in alarm, until her scream was choked to silence.
“I misspoke earlier. You have another use. Your tortured screams serve to amuse me. Somewhat.” He tightened his fingers, feeling consciousness slip from Nayru’s mortal form. A gleeful grin contorted his lips. Beside him, Farore pounded against the bonds of her prison, spitting curses.
Nayru slumped to the floor of her confines; Ghirahim withdrew his arm, its entirety now a glossy black.
He turned to Farore, leering at her through half-closed eyes. She blanched, and became silent.
Suddenly a great swell of anger and fury emanated from the altar. His master was not pleased by his decision to cause harm to the maiden sacrifice. Ghirahim smirked, coolly turning to face his master’s punishment.
He allowed himself to be thrown against the wall by a great unseen force, it pinning him there. Below him, Farore cried out.
Ghirahim felt himself being subjected to the exact same treatment he had just carried out. Adrenaline burned through him as he gasped for air, his mind growing frenzied. The pressure on this throat and in his lungs was unbearable. It was wonderful.
Just when his consciousness began to slip, he was released, dropping to the floor like a deadweight. He knelt before his master’s altar, coughing, when the final lash, like a slap on the wrist of a disobedient child, drew a bloody slash across his cheek.
“Thank you… Master,” he gasped. In silence, he left the sanctum.
Once outside, Ghirahim wiped the blood from his cheek, licking the dark liquid from his fingers.
A young man stood hidden in the shadows of the antechamber. He watched Ghirahim with narrowed eyes. “You actually enjoy that, don’t you?” he accused.
Ghirahim turned to the purple-clad figured leaning against the wall opposite him. “Pain is a gift, Vaati,” he told him. His lip curled. “I was always his favorite.”
The pale young man scoffed, rolling one red eye, the other hidden behind a sheaf of long white hair. “A fact that you never seem to tire of reminding us of.”
“Oh my, is someone feeling… jealous?” Ghirahim approached him, towering over the diminutive magician. Vaati folded his arms and looked away in a huff, unwilling to meet Ghirahim’s dark, patronizing eyes.
“Don’t worry, the master has a place for all his… children.” Ghirahim’s hand swept around Vaati’s jaw, and forced the younger man to face him. Vaati grimaced as Ghirahim’s other hand moved to stroke the small dark, gem embedded in his cheek. “The master has marked you as his own. This is a privilege you should be proud of. “
Vaati tore away from Ghirahim’s grasp. “Just like you so proudly display your ‘mark?’”
Ghirahim casually tossed the sheaf of hair covering the left side of his face, offering a momentary glimpse of his own gem. “It isn’t that I’m ashamed of the master’s blessing. It simply does not mesh well with my appearance.”
Vaati scoffed. Still as vain as ever.
“But appearances are a small thing to sacrifice. In exchange for his revival, the master has promised to grant us our every desire. Isn’t it exciting?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Vaati looked away, biting his lip. Behind laconic words, doubt shadowed Vaati’s mind, slowly building until it had eclipsed all his other emotions. Is this really what I want?
Ghirahim raised an eyebrow is mock surprise. “Not having second thoughts are you? You’re not feeling sorry for a certain other master you betrayed, are you?”
Vaati’s eyes flashed.
Ghirahim met this with more derisive laughter. “Guilt and sorrow are weaknesses you should have cast off long ago. But if you insist on holding to the virtue of betrayal, I assure you, your new master will not be as… forgiving, as your old one may have been.”
“Of course, material gain was never my reason for pledging myself to the master. My loyalty is given freely.” He met the magician’s eyes once more. “You know, you could learn a lot from me, Vaati.”
“If it means becoming target practice for the master, I’ll pass.”
Ghirahim chuckled. “You weren’t listening to me.” He learned in close to Vaati’s face, the younger man obviously uncomfortable. “Pain is a gift. It teaches us what is important, and helps us understand other things, like loss and strife. Through these, one can gain power, endurance, strength. Revel in it. Pass it on.” He plucked a single hair from the young magician‘s scalp, causing him to yip with pain. “And cut this ridiculous hair of yours; you look like a woman.”
Rage flashed through Vaati, dying to be expressed. The instant before it boiled over, Vaati suppressed it, resealed it.
“Look who’s talking….” he muttered instead. Long ago he’d make a pact to himself never to bend to peer pressure from the likes of Ghirahim, he knew that anger was exactly the reaction he‘d been hoping to induce. He would not give him that satisfaction.
Ghirahim sighed, making a show of his mock disappointment. “You really are hopeless.”
“Hey! Hey guess what!” A new voice entered the room. A child-like being dressed in scraggly orange clothes ran up to the two of them. “I found the Din-lady.”
“Oh?” Vaati indulged the younger one. “Where?”
“On the outskirts of Lanayru. There’s a boy with her. They were training with swords.”
Ghirahim said nothing, a satisfied smirk creeping onto his face.
“Well then, I guess its time for the Master’s favorite to shove off and do his bidding,” Vaati glanced at Ghirahim.
“Oh I don’t feel like going out today, why don’t you go instead, Vaati? “
Vaati leapt away from the wall, indignant. “Me? But you‘re the one--” He stopped suddenly, aware of his outburst. Ghirahim guffawed, and Vaati’s face burned when he realized he’d given the demon lord what he wanted.
“Oh I think you should go. You definitely need the practice,”
Vaati clenched his fists.
Ghirahim turned to leave, carelessly waving his arm in dismissal. “Veran should already be out in the field, perhaps you can learn some pointers from her. Besides…” he paused darkly. “He’s not ready for me yet.”
Vaati’s glare followed Ghirahim as he exited the chamber. He made no further protest, but once he was sure Ghirahim was out of earshot, he groaned. Just because he was the newest recruit to this little family, didn’t mean he should be subject to all this hazing. He was stuck with it now. Sullenly, he turned to the messenger. “Let’s go, Skullkid.”
The little one nodded. The exited together.
“Vaati?” Skullkid looked up at him, his shaggy orange hat no longer obstructing his face. His glowing red eyes stared at the magician expectantly from their places on his black, wrinkled face, similarly pocked with a dark crystal. “Do you think when we capture the Din-lady, that Master will tell me where my friends are?”
“Sure kid,” Vaati answered half-heartedly. “Sure.”
And that's all I have typed so far. I have about seven written pages in my notebook yet that's still fresh, and I plan to update the story with that soon, as well as continue on with it. Let me know what you think!
