Fan Fiction ❯ Wings of Time ❯ The Beginning of the End ( Chapter 1 )

Author's Note: Long time no write, I'm afraid. It's been a while since inspiration has hit me, but after some recent personal problems that I won't bore you all with, the urge to write has hit me again. I'm not sure what's going to happen with my other stories at this point, but for the moment I don't have plans to continue them until I finish Wings of Time. Here's to hoping my writing's improved over the span of time I've been gone.

 

Disclaimer: You all know the drill, I'm poor and live in a box with no hope of ever owning this game or its characters. Well, minus anything I dream up on my own. Those characters I will smack people for if they take. *Brandishes smacking implement*

 

 

Wings of Time

 

The Beginning of the End

 

/////////////Begin////////////////

 

Bitch.

 

The Hero of Time was not in a pleasant mood. About an hour after sunset, he found himself locked out from Castle Town. Not that he felt in the mood to return at the moment. Better to wait until morning anyway.

 

Maybe then you'll miss me, princess.

 

A lovers' quarrel, he reassured himself, but a final straw in a series that Zelda had been initiating lately. You'd think she could cut the guy who saved her kingdom some slack, but that was years ago. Few people in this timeline even knew the full extent of his toils, just the vague yet glorious sounding tale Zelda had chosen to tell the public. Only the Sages and the Royal Family knew the terrible and complete truth.

 

In a way, Link preferred relative anonymity. It suited him. Granted, he was still known in Hyrule. How could the beloved of the princess not be?

 

That's all anyone ever sees me as now. It's not like I'm nothing without her…

 

Or was he? By Zelda's side, he was a valued tactician and warrior, her chief military advisor. Link had protected not only her life on numerous occasions, but ensured her father's safety as well. Hardened assassins didn't dare set foot near the castle after hearing some of the whispered accounts of what Zelda's protector did to those who threatened her well-being.

 

But what was he on his own? Without a cushy palace position, Link the Hero would probably just be another cutthroat mercenary. Food had to come from somewhere, although perhaps Malon would take pity on him and give him a job at the ranch. Far better than the alternative of roaming for the rest of his days. Traveling was fine in itself; there were times like now that Link had to be alone for the sake of his sanity. Yet home was always in reach, waiting for him to return from his wanderings.

 

Home…where the heart is. Zelda has always been my home, but how can someone so wise be so blind?

 

There was no conceivable way she didn't know exactly how he felt about her. He would give his life to be with her, to keep her from harm. He very nearly had on more than one occasion. For whatever reason though, she was still prone to fits of paranoia, or something very close to it, Link wasn't entirely sure.

 

“Why should I believe you when you say that you love me? Where's the warmth, Link? You can say the words all you want, but it doesn't mean anything unless you feel them. How you manage to feel distant from me even when you hold me I can't even fathom.”

 

Cringing at the memory from just a few minutes ago, Link trudged on through Hyrule Field. Unwillingly, the rest of the argument played through his mind.

 

“I'm too distant, Zel? That's a pile, and you damn well know it. I've had enough of this, enough of you trying to make me feel guilty about something that's not even true. I'm sick of you inventing problems all the time. You think I'm too distant from you? Well, I'm about to get a little further away.”

 

Taking a step back from the confused princess, Link cast a familiar spell, wreathing him in green light, and sweeping him onto the wind. His last impressions of the room consisted of the fire crackling gently while his love sobbed a broken and incoherent apology.

 

Link had quickly found himself in front of the castle gates, effectively cut off from his home. There were no longer Stalchildren to protect the town from, but bandits had been roaming around more frequently of late. He'd been meaning to do something about that.

 

Instantly he'd cursed himself for his stupidity. In his anger, Link had left completely unarmed. Hopefully the walk to Lon Lon Ranch would be a quiet one. His warp had drained him of his magical reserves, at this point he couldn't rely on any spells if something were to attack him.

 

At least there's always my fists. I'm not utterly useless without a sword.

 

For some reason though, he couldn't shake his feeling of uneasiness. Seeing a cluster of bushes along the road, he began kicking through them in search of a discarded container of magic some traveler might have dropped carelessly. There didn't seem to be any luck for the hero tonight, as his efforts only found a handful of rupees.

 

No matter, the ranch wasn't too far now. He'd spend the night there, staying up late and laughing with Malon. She never judged her favorite Fairy Boy, as much as that name was beginning to irk Link. At nineteen he hardly considered himself a boy anymore. Hell, he hadn't been a boy since the Great Deku Tree died. Besides, he never had found Navi.

 

Good riddance.

 

Suddenly the peace of the evening was disrupted by the sound of horses. They seemed to be coming toward him, and quickly. Link kept walking, there was no point in standing like an idiot in the middle of the path if it happened to be nothing. It was probably just a merchant coming home to Kakariko after a long day of trading with the Gerudo.

 

He knew that was a lie. It didn't reassure him for a moment. There were too many hoof beats, coming far too fast. Trouble was coming, but standing in the way unarmed wouldn't help him. Unfortunately, there wasn't a decent place to hide in sight.

 

Moments later, the thundering party came into view. As soon as the ten or twelve riders had topped the crest of the hill, the leader pulled up short. Immediately the others followed suit, waiting obediently. Link eyed them cautiously out of the corner of his eye, doubtless of what these people were.

 

Bandits.

 

Their very manner and dress betrayed them, no decent person would be willing to talk to them during the daylight hours. One thing he could say for them, there certainly was a variety. It was difficult to tell their rate of success, as some were clothed well enough, while others were practically garbed in patches and rags. Their leader was one of the former sort, sturdy red clothes that no doubt hid light armor underneath. He seemed to be searching, his gaze roaming across the open territory. Finally, his eyes came to rest of Link, who was still busy with the pretense of trudging along, minding his own business.

 

Motioning to the rest of the band, a sneer appeared on the thief's face as he reached behind him to retrieve his crossbow. His mood seemed to spread to his subordinates, with grins and snickering spreading throughout them as each spurred their mount into action. Like a wave they came flowing down the hill, shouting in their anticipation.

 

Link had always possessed a profound distaste for bandits, and he found it multiplying by the instant. Glancing around, the warrior quickly sized up his options. There was no possible chance of outrunning galloping horses the distance that still remained between him and the ranch. Then again, it wouldn't do much good to allow himself to be surrounded at this point. He'd given up on the hope that he was simply in their way. At this point, he was being hunted.

 

With a final thought, Link dashed. Not toward Lon Lon, better to keep Malon and Talon out of the path of danger. Quickly sprinting, the hero made a dodging path between the sparse patches of bushes, desperately hoping to discover some magic. Din's Fire, Nayru's Love, Farore's Wind, at this point it didn't matter. He might be the Hero of Time, but he brooked no misgivings that his title could vanquish a dozen riders armed to the teeth while he didn't have so much as a Deku nut on him.

 

Racing through the night, Link refused to look back. He could hear the horses and their hollering owners gaining ground on him. Still no luck, the plant life was not being kind to him tonight. He refused to look behind him. It would only slow him down. Just a fraction, but it would still be enough for them to catch him that much sooner.

 

Determination to survive coursed through the young man. He wasn't done yet, there was still a chance, albeit an increasingly slim one.

 

Goddesses, save me.

 

Success! At last he'd stumbled across a small vial of the green liquid, crushing it in his flight, but soaking up enough to do what he needed to accomplish. The trick would be casting it before they caught up to him and….

 

Surrounded him. In his moment of victory he'd failed to notice that he'd been outrun. Silently cursing himself, Link all the same hurriedly began his incantation. His movements did not go unnoticed, however, as several of the bandits fluidly dropped from their mounts and quickly restrained him before he had a chance to resist.

 

Then began the pummeling. Fists began raining on the hero from what felt like every conceivable direction while he was held down despite his best efforts.

 

Who are these people? These are no ordinary bandits.

 

Thoughts came more slowly now, muddy and hazy through the pain. After an eternity, he heard a deep voice succinctly order the men to cease. Backing away, the bandits reverently made a path for their leader.

 

Now that he was closer, Link could see the man slowly striding toward him a bit better. Only a bit though, through the veil of blood that was currently coating his face, his eyes nearly shut from the swelling that had already begun.

 

Before, the most distinguishing feature he could make out was the heavy red coat the bandit leader wore. Now, Link found himself with the opportunity to get a better look at the man's face, a chance he would have traded for a vacation to Dodongo's Cavern on any day. The man's greasy black hair streamed to below his shoulders, revealing a cruel face that had seen more than a few scars. His hooked nose appeared to have been in need to setting at more than one point in his life. That sneer was what struck Link the most, though. There was no word for it besides sinister.

 

“The great Hero of Time, I presume,” the bandit spoke after surveying his prize for a few moments. His voice carried bemusement and disdain, as though he were thoroughly unimpressed with the legend.

 

Link managed only a snarl for a response.

 

“You, my lad, are in the way of things to come. Therefore it's fallen to me to dispose of you. I must say, though, I'm sorely disappointed in you. After hearing tales of your swordsmanship I'd been rather hoping to test my own mettle against you,” he laughed briefly, “It seems that the rumors about you going soft are true, sadly enough. A shame.”

 

Once again, he pulled out the crossbow Link had seen before. This time, leveling it at Link's heart.

 

“Tell me, Link, what does it feel like to know that you will now die?” he asked, in a conversational tone that might have just asked if the swordsman wanted something to drink.

 

“Moreover,” he continued, “how does it feel to know that your precious princess will now be without her prized bodyguard? I would hate for a single hair on her head to be harmed, but I have employers who think most differently.”

 

A wave of panic spread through Link, and he struggled against the bandits holding his limbs. It was a weak effort though, running and the beating had left him with little energy, even with the onset of more fear.

 

Zelda…no…

 

His tormentor's smile grew at Link's pathetic efforts, evidently enjoying the mental torture he was subjecting his victim to. “With that knowledge then,” he stated levelly, taking aim with his weapon-

 

I can't believe I'm going to die. Not like this…

 

“Despair and die.”

 

Zelda, forgive me!

 

Pain coursed through him, and the world went dark before the Hero of Time could scream his dying breath.

 

I love you…

 

/////////////End////////////////

 

Now, before you all go berserk and start sending me flames that are something akin to “ZOMG CHARACTER DEATH! I R THE SCARRED FOR LIFE!!!1” May I gently remind you that this is in no way a one shot, and this event was quite necessary for the plot. The rest, I leave you to wonder about. Wonder about and review.