Fan Fiction ❯ The legend of Zelda - the Key of Creation ❯ The Hunt ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter One-

Disclaimer - I non-of LoZ's characters, events, or items. I also own non-of Nikki's characters and junk either. ^_____^

"Wake up child please wake up!" an older woman urgently cried. Her face was wrinkled yet plump but her hair was a red blaze. She wore a simple faded blue dress with a white apron tied around. She was known as Maggie the nurse of the royal family and lived within the castle of Alvalair.

Alvalair was a kingdom that according to the legend was the control center of all elements. It was ruled by the good king Calzar the second who lived by the rule an eye for an eye. It was an uncharted land unknown to most outsiders only because it was created after the Great War. Many people who had lived in other countries had fled for safety and started a new empire together. So the kingdom wasn't very old maybe twenty years or so but it still held many ancient secrets.

"What is it Maggie?" asked a bewildered teen of sixteen whom had just been awoken from a peaceful dream. She sat upright, rubbed her jade eyes and then wiped her pearl hair away from her mouth. Most people address her as your highness but she preferred informalities and asked to just be called her name, Hoshiko. She was the princess of Alvalair, but hardly acted as such. Normally she could be found outside training with the Guards whom NEVER mocked her. A few learned that the hard way.

It's the king he's…He's…He's dead!" wailed Maggie. "The Prince asked for you to meet him in the library to discuss other matters concerning your father and the kingdom."

Prince Eryx had been like every other brother in the world very annoying. He was five years a head of Hoshiko but hadn't started to act his age until this past year. He had become quiet and irritable. His brown eyes never left Hoshiko when she was near him. He scowled constantly and started to question how their father ran the kingdom. Late at night he would stow away from the castle and into the sacred woods. He would then return several hours later. He had been acting very weird and there was no doubt in Hoshiko's mind he had murdered their father.

"The Hell I'm going!" cried the princess as she jumped from the bed.

"Oh but princess you must! What am I to tell him if you don't go?" Hoshiko adorned a long gray dress with gold like material trimming the tops of the sleeves. Her feet were given thick leather boots that approached the knee, only because they would be better for the journey and the outfit for them would take to long to put on. Around her waist she fastened a belt in which her daggers were placed. On the belt a golden buckle resided with the kingdoms emblem on it; three golden circles meaning unity, honor, and peace the middle being slightly larger than the surrounding ones.

"Just make up something! Tell him I wasn't there when you came for me!" She grabbed a midsize sack and placed a separate outfit, an apple and some bread. She would change into that outfit later and sell the other one for money. She latched its buckle and began to crawl out the window down a trellis just below her window.

"But Princess were will you go?" her voice was frantic.

"Maggie I can't tell you that. But you know that Eryx killed papa! And if he did then I don't have a doubt that I'm next. I suggest after you relay that message that you get yourself into hiding as well!"

"Oh Hoshiko," Maggie began to cry.

"None of that now. You must be strong and not look weathered when you face my brother. I'll be back don't worry!" Maggie stopped crying and nodded.

"Yes, you are right Hoshiko goodbye,"

"Good bye, Maggie!" and with that Hoshiko climbed down and made her way through the shadows hoping she wouldn't be seen.

His Ebony hair moved with the wind as his eyes gazed at the land before him. His face contorted into a malevolent grin. Yes, he was happy with what he had done, for once that retched girl was out of the way he would rule the kingdom alone, the way it was meant to be ruled. He would contact his followers once Hoshiko was dead and together they would bring an end to all those who had killed their master. Of course though he would have a little fun with the wanna be princess. He still needed to know were the temple was.

It wasn't a legend or a myth that temple was real! He knew it was. Eryx's face turned enraged it burned him up at the thought of his father never telling him the temples whereabouts. He had to tell that little imp where it was. If it did exist he would have surly told her. Calzar had always favored Hoshiko and for that he had to pay. Eryx's smile returned.

A knock on the door interrupted his thinking. "Here she comes!" his smile grew wider.

"Come in…Hoshiko…" his eyes never left the grounds and his hand patted the sword at his side.

Maggie entered, "Um… Excuse me sire but when I went to call on Hoshiko she was… she wasn't in her room."

The sinister smile faded and a disgusted frown came in its place. "Where did she go!" Eryx turned to face the frightened woman. "I said where did she GO! Answer me woman!"

"I… I don't know your highness. Sh…she just wasn't there." Maggie stammered. The prince was about ready to kill the wench that stood before him, but then out of the corner of his eye something white was darting around the grounds.

"Leave me Maggie," his tone softened. Maggie ran back

though the door.

He calmed down and faced the window again. Watching the shadowed figure run around the edge of the castle gardens and make its way to the town.

"So that's her game eh? Run away like a little mouse." He laughed at this remark. "Well watch out mousy because here comes the Cat!" Eryx left the library and went on what he considered "the hunt".

The cold night chilled her as she crept through the town making her way from one shadow to the next. Her boots clattered on the cobblestone and her sack swished to and fro in her frantic jog. Her thought wondered everywhere about her father, her brother, and what if she didn't make it to the temple. No she had to think positive thoughts she would make it. She was the keeper of the key and the guardian of the temple, although she really wasn't sure if she was the right person for the job.

She stopped suddenly. Did she here footsteps? No it couldn't be her imagination was just running wild. But just in case… She slunk even deeper into the shadows. Again she stopped some one was out there. Her hands moved down at her sides feeling the handles of her daggers making sure of their whereabouts in case they were needed. She took a few steps down the main drag of town and then bolted in an all out sprint never looking behind her.

She ran fast as she could and soon the town entrance came into focus. It was a stone arch covered by a large metal gate. Two guards were on duty she would have to make them open it for her. She ran right up to them and stopped leaning over herself trying to catch her breath.

"Hoshiko what are you…" she raised her hand up to this question. She hadn't time to explain nor did she want to.

"Just raise up the gate Aleron, just raise the gate!" Hoshiko breaths were sharp and her face a bright red.

Aleron was the captain of the guard. He had trained Hoshiko to be the fighter that she was. They had grown up together and he (unknown to Hoshiko) admired her a lot and in more ways than one. His strawberry blonde hair flew over his face as his gray eyes stared at Hoshiko.

"Crack," she stopped and stared into the darkness that seemed to follow her. Someone was following her!

"Just open the damn gate now!" Hoshiko shrieked, as the fear she felt became evident in her features. Aleron nodded to his fellow guard to do so. "And Aleron don't follow me!"

Hoshiko gazed back at the shadowed streets and then dashed under the lifting bridge and into the forest. A minute after she left Eryx made his appearance.

"Your highness what are you doing out at this hour?" questioned Aleron.

Eryx face twisted into a smile, "Just doing a little hunting. Now lift the gate!"

"Yes your majesty." Aleron again motioned for his assistant to open it. This time the gate was fully opened before the prince moved and it stayed that way long after the prince disappeared into the forest.

"I don't like the way he said that. Do you private?"

"No sir!" called out the young guard.

"I'm going after them! Man your post and let no outsider pass!" commanded Aleron.

"Yes Sir!" Aleron quietly scurried after both of them sword in hand. The metal gate clanged behind him and then all was silent.

Hoshiko darted in and out of trees until she could run no longer. She squatted down next to a moss-covered boulder. She had to be near the clearing it wasn't that far away from the town. Maybe about a mile, but no more. She cleared her head of thoughts and started again.

An hour later she came upon a clearing located at the bottom of a steep hill. Rocks littered the area along with small shrubs and many varieties of flowers. Hoshiko walked among the stones brushing vines and dirt off some.

"Where is that blasted stone?" She pondered. Some bushes rustled startling her for a second. Hoshiko through a rock into the direction from whence the noise came, it clattered scaring a rabbit from its home.

"I must be paranoid," she thought. "Ah here it is!" She stooped down to a stone in which carvings of a two-headed dragon that encircled an eye. Two slits were located on the stone, one in one head of the dragon and the other in the opposing head.

Hoshiko took out her daggers each had gold and silver braided handles that at the top circled around a blue topaz pearl. At the bottom of the handle a crescent moon made of silver hung embraced only by the gold binding it to the handle. The blades had no one metal to them. They had been crafted special and only for the temple guardian. And for good reason!

She gazed long and hard at the daggers her father had given her so long ago. But only recently had he told her the responsibility that befell their owners. It was a secret he had kept all his life even before the empire was created. The secret had remained in the family for years but why was she given them? Why her? She was nothing special did the king know some thing all those years ago? She didn't know, but she knew what had to be done.

With a sigh the princess raised her daggers up and plunged them into the sockets of the stone. Nothing happened.