Fan Fiction ❯ Professional Hero ❯ The Hero of Time ( Chapter 19 )

Chapter 19 - The Hero of Time

A year had passed since Link had killed the dark Goron, and in that year many monsters had showed him it didn't end with Rock. Even with the help of Romani he had trouble keeping peace in Hyrule and in some cases the armies of the Zora and Goron had to help and in some very rare occasions the sheikah came to help, but Zelda remained always in the castle. So Link decided to go to the castle himself to ask Zelda if she hadn't have any visions concerning the new evil that threatened Hyrule or if she knew things about the war that had raged in Hyrule when he was born.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Link shook his head.

"That's not necessary, Romani, I can do it on my own."

"I know, but the kids have never even seen the palace before, and I'm sure they would love to go."

"Yeah dad, can we come? We'll be good." The little kid asked when he suddenly came crawling from under the table.

"Not now, but I will take you, all of you," he smiled at Romani, "some other time, when I don't have so much on my mind, so we can have a fun trip. So you stay here with your brothers and sister, okay?"

The little kid pouted and went back to the table.

"And don't pout, Mikau, you're five years old!"

Mikau turned back to his dad with a smile.

"Just trying to change your mind, dad."

"Well don't do it like that. Where are you brothers and sister anyway?"

Mikau whistled and Darmani came running of the stairs with Dekaru on his back and Malon right behind. He put his kid brother down and looked up to his dad. Link couldn't help but smile when he looked at his kids. Mikau and Darmani, both five, looked identically even though Mikau had a blue shirt and Darmani a red one, Dekaru was only two years old but looked already very similar to his brothers and sat there with a green shirt on, waving a deku stick. Malon was the only one who had her mother's red hair, the boys were all blond. She had just turned three and had a purple dress, thought she preferred pants to play in. Just like the boys, Malon was always ready to sneak out and explore the world. Luckily Dekaru was still too young but seemed ready to take off any day now.

"Are you really going away dad?" Malon asked.

"Of course not, I'm just going to the castle and then I'll come back." Link dropped on his knees so his face was right before Malon's.

"That's what you said about going to Tempora and you had to go and save Holodrum and Labrynna." Darmani reacted.

"That's right, thank you for paying attention to my stories, but that was outside my power to stop that. So, if I don't return tonight, that's because I'm off adventuring, but know that there's no place I would rather be than here at home with all of you. And in a few months or even weeks, we'll all visit the castle, after we've gone to aunt Cremia to stop the ghosts from taking the cows, okay?"

"But not before the troubles stop, right dad?" Mikau asked.

"Right."

He smiled, hugged his children and kissed Romani goodbye. Just a few moments later he rode of to the castle with Epona, stopping once to look at his home, just south of the entrance of the Lost Woods. He had found happiness there and he hoped it would last for a long time. He really didn't want to leave them behind, but it was just for a few hours, he would be back at night, and he really wanted to ask Zelda some questions about this whole situation. He hoped Zelda had the answers.

The castle guard took Epona to the royal stables as Link quickly made his way to the courtyard. He smiled as he thought of the first time he tried to sneak in. It took him almost three days to reach Zelda. His smiled broadened when he thought of the last time he sneaked in as a kid, he got to Zelda in twenty minutes. He suddenly felt the urge to do it again, although it had been eighteen years since his last attempt, but he thought Zelda's bodyguards would be a bit too jumpy and might try to harm him before they saw it was him, so he stayed on the ground and passed the guards.

"Zelda," he said as he entered the palace garden, "it's been too long."

"Link," she smiled as she looked up, "how nice to see you again. What news brings you here? How's Romani and the kids?"

"They are fine, thanks for asking, but I would like to ask you some questions, if I may."

"Certainly, go ahead, but if it's about the recent trouble in Hyrule, I'm afraid I can't help you. I haven't had any visions yet."

"That was one of the reasons I came here, but I would like to know if you could tell me a few things about the war that raged in Hyrule before Ganondorf."

"That was from before my time, but you're in luck," Zelda turned and waved at one of her sheikah who immediately left, "there is some one here who can tell you everything about that."

Link looked up at the man who came in the garden. He had short black hair with a strip of grey at the side and a short trimmed beard and looked about fifty. He was dressed in a shining breastplate with the Triforce engraved on it. The sleeves of his tunic were blue, just as his cloak.

"This is Madakar, the ancient Hero of Time. He fought in the war. I'm sure he can tell you anything you want to know."

Link saw an immediate distrust and dislike in the eyes of Madakar and decided he didn't like Madakar as well.

"Madakar, I would like you to meet Link, the defeater of Ganondorf." Zelda smiled.

The handshake was short but firm.

"You have fought in the war?" Link asked.

"I did, but it costed me my wife and unborn child, as well as my best friends. What do you want to know about it," his eyes grew suddenly very hostile, "and why?"

"I've been told the troubles in Hyrule are tied together with the events during Ganondorf's reign and the war."

"And who may have told you that?"

"Someone who tried to kill me, now I would like to know how the war started and why there was a war."

Link grew a bit impatient. Madakar didn't gave any answers. Suddenly he wanted to return to his family and find out things on his own.

"The sorcerer Kaligan tried to conquer Hyrule and I stopped him."

"That's it?" Link was surprised, he would have thought the war would have been a bit… harder.

But then again, the fight against Ganondorf took him over eight years, not counting the timeloops, and Ganondorf had killed a lot of people in that time.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but the war lasted over four years and it was me that killed Kaligan after our troops had destroyed his."

"Troops?"

"You don't think I went in alone do you?"

"Well to be honest…" that's what I did, Link was about to say, but was interrupted by Madakar.

"If you don't take this serious, I have no further business with you!" Madakar shouted, "now be gone!"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard the general," one of the sheikah said, "leave."

"Zelda?" Link looked at Zelda for help, but received nothing.

"I'm sorry, Link, but I must agree you haven't shown proper respect for one of our greatest hero's."

"This is ridiculous, Zelda," Link turned around and walked away, "this isn't over, you will need my help and you will regret your attitude. Mark my words."

"I'm sorry for this, Madakar, I truly am."

"That young man has no respect. You say he has beaten Ganondorf? Then Ganondorf was nothing."

"I'm sure I could have beaten Ganondorf myself, but I had to go into hiding and Link was lucky enough to find some temple treasures and fought Ganondorf himself. I don't even know what Link was doing in those temples."

"He should at least show respect to you, my queen, I'm sure your father would never tolerate this kind of behaviour."

"I'm sure of that, but unfortunately he is too strong and because he has killed Ganondorf, he thinks he can do as he pleases."

"I must be honest, my queen, but I don't trust him, I know it sounds crazy, but deep down, I believe he has something to do with the death of my wife."

"How can that be, that's…" one of the sheikah began but was silenced by a motion of Zelda.

"Then I believe we must bring Link to order. I will send some of my sheikah to his house, maybe you could join them?"

"I will, and I will show him you treat the Hero of Time with the proper respect."

Madakar greeted Zelda and left.

"Perfect," Zelda whispered and turned to one of her sheikah, "tell her she can start."

Link rode back to his home totally pissed off. All of a sudden Epona was startled by something and threw Link of her back. As Link tried to get up he saw Nayru before him.

"Nayru? What are you doing here? If this is about sex…"

"No," she shook her head, "you seek answers about the war, answers that I can give you. Just relax and you will be given everything you need."

Nayru stretched out her hands and the world around Link started to ripple.

"Nayru, what are you doing? Stop this befo-"

Link disappeared and Nayru couldn't help letting out a tear.

"You did good, my little bitch," Ralph laughed as he appeared from behind Nayru, "now let's return to Labrynna."

"Yes, master." Nayru quietly said and transported back to the Black Tower in Labrynna.

Romani came outside with the laundry and Mikau and Darmani to help her. Just as she knelt by the pond outside their home, Darmani yelled.

"Mom, that owl statue!"

She turned around with a hidden Kokiri sword drawn. The statue had its wings still spread but the head was turned.

"Whoo-hoo, no need for violence, or at least not now. The evil forces are on their way, I suggest you leave with your children to a safe place."

"You're Kaepora, the sage that helped Link against Ganondorf."

"Yes, from the time there were still indeed seven sages. It is best not to warn our enemy so I came through this statue to talk to you. Link is in great danger, and so are you. You must run immediately."

Romani nodded and called for her children.

"Kids? We're leaving, run inside and take everything that is essential, we're going on a little vacation."

The owl statue retook its former form and remained silent. Quickly Romani had taken all major weaponry and left with her children to Kokiri forest.

"Romani, what a nice surprise to bring the children now." Saria laughed as she approached, but her smile froze as she saw Romani's face.

"Not now, hide the children somewhere in the Lost Woods. I'll come back for them later."

"You're not coming with us?" Malon asked.

"There's still something Romani must do in the house, I will return right after," She assured her daughter, "if I don't,…" her voice hesitated for a moment, "… then I'm dead, but Romani swears on all that's holy, I will live, for my husband and my children."

"If you don't come back, we'll go look for you." Darmani said.

Romani smiled and hugged her children.

"Stay here and don't leave the Lost Woods until Romani or Link comes and gets you, okay?"

She turned around and ran away, not stopping or looking, knowing that if she did one of both, she would stay.

Stupid, how could she forget the Fairy sword? Since Link started to use the Goron's sword, she used the sword and now she had forgotten it. Quickly she reached the house and she grabbed the sword from above the fireplace. Just as she left the house, ten horses came riding. She reached behind the door and grabbed a Hylian shield (one of the many that lied there). The horses stopped in front of the house and Romani could see they were all sheikah.

"What do you want?" she shouted.

"Link!" the first one said as he dismounted, "where is he?"

"He's gone to the castle."

The sheikah laughed.

"So that means you're here all alone then?"

This wasn't well, Romani thought, something was very wrong. The sheikah motioned to the others who advanced on her.

"I must warn you, if you come closer, Romani will kill you."

"You think I'm scared from some mentally disturbed bitch who speaks of herself in the third person?" the closest sheikah laughed.

Just as his friends laughed, Romani flew forward and decapitated him with a single blow. She spun and cut the second one in two.

"Fuck!" the third one shouted and he was able to draw his sword before he died.

The other seven now kept their distance and got their weapons out. Quickly they circled her and she tried to be aware of all of their movements. She was able to dodge most of their attacks and only few of them scratched her clothes. A hit from her however was always a hit but she wasn't able to kill them as easily anymore. It was clear that these were the best of the sheikah Zelda had. Each of them tried an attack and she knew it was just to test her. Only one hadn't attacked yet, so she figured he was the most dangerous one. Suddenly they started to attack in pairs and soon even with three. Romani decided to take matters back into her own hands and as one attacked she parried his move and grabbed the second to throw him at the third attacker. This went easy with Links wedding gift to her, the powerbracelet he had found in Holodrum. Romani jumped the other way and slashed the arm off of one of the sheikah. She lashed out to their leader but he jumped out of the way. She turned her attention back to her latest victim who had dropped his sword and grabbed the stump that was once his leftarm.

"With one arm you still could have fought me, but now you're no threat anymore," Romani smiled and thrust her sword forward, "and no never again."

A burning pain at her back made her fall but quickly she recovered and turned around. Their leader stood before her with a large sword and a dagger in the other hand.

"Fucking coward, attacking from behind. Where's your fucking honour?"

"We sheikah operate from the shadows, and especially me?" he said, and she felt that underneath his mask he grinned.

One of the others threw a Deku nut and for a moment she was blinded. Out of reflex and instinct she was able to fence off the first blows but there were too many and soon she felt the cold steel of their blades. A hard kick made her fly back a few meters. When she got up, she had her vision back and saw she was bleeding from numerous wounds all over her body.

"Why don't you come and kill me already?" she shouted, she was sick of playing games.

"We tried, we honestly did," the leader said, "but you move very fast. It seems you're quite a challenge."

Romani grunted and attacked. Her speed caught the closest sheikah of guard and she slit his throat with the tip of the Fairy sword. She jumped up and landed behind the second sheikah. Without turning she placed the sword along her side, with the handle forward. She quickly pushed it backwards and the blade drove itself deep in the body of the sheikah. In a fluent movement she pulled it out and caught the blow of the third sheikah. She rammed her shield in his face and he fell lifeless to the ground as she retracted the shield from his brains. The last sheikah fell back and circled her again.

"Seven down, three to go." She grinned.

She lifted her sword and jumped forward to one of the sheikah. Unfortunately another one was faster and kicked Romani in the ribs. Just as she hit the ground the third one came from behind her and hit her with the handle of his sword in the neck. She fell down and didn't move anymore. He looked in the direction of Hyrule castle and cursed.

"Fuck, they are already on their way!" he turned to the two other sheikah, "quickly, throw the bodies in the house and torch the place!"

He looked down and kneeled next to Romani's body.

"But first there is something we have to do here." He smiled as he took up her wrist.

The sheikah stopped in front of the blazing house.

"What? What is this?" Madakar shouted.

"I have no idea, general," one of the sheikah said, "maybe it hid some secrets Link didn't want us to find."

"Oh, shut up," another said, "it's probably the monsters that Link has fought that took vengeance or something."

"What monsters?" Madakar asked.

"The past few years Link fought monsters all through Hyrule, just like we couldn't handle it. Maybe some of them have attacked his house."

"And don't forget the great evil," another one shouted.

"Great evil?"

"Oh yeah, he kept on raving about a great evil that threatened Hyrule, like he didn't know we have never been more prosperous. Hyrule is in a true golden age and he kept spoiling everything with stupid tails about the great evil, which of course, no one has ever seen. He thought all those monsters had something to do with it, but monsters have always roamed Hyrule."

"That is true," Madakar replied, "but still… Let's return and tell this news to Zelda."

"What about the house, General?"

"Let it burn." Madakar decided and turned his horse to return to his queen, while thinking of the words of the sheikah. Why was it he didn't like Link?

AN: And now, specially for chapter 20 (meaning total coincidence), the war that raged in Hyrule over twenty-five years ago! Link is trapped in the past and joins the ranks of the army of Hyrule (yeah right, he goes and takes matters in his own hands, just like he has done his whole life).