Summary: Plot wise, it's your basic Dark LinkxLink fic. But of course I've got your no-so-typical, original stuff in here, and I think you'll enjoy it. I'm not gonna tell you what it's ABOUT, cuz then what's the point of reading the story?
GROUND RULES:
First of all, and most importantly, RESPECT. Meaning no flames, no dissing the way I write, etc. I've put my own time and effort into creating this and I'm getting nothing out of it. All I expect from you guys is to show respect for what this story is and what I've done to make it, whether you like the story or not.
Secondly, no e-mails pestering me to "hurry up and update." I'll update on my own time when I'm ready. It's job my job as the author to provide the best quality writing I can for you guys. That means writing it well, editing it will, and proofreading it well. It takes time to do this, so just leave me alone until I'm ready to put it out there.
I always sound like a bitch at the first of every story, but I hope you'll find my laid-back and fun-loving personality will show through my writing, and I hope you enjoy the story!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Legend of Zelda series or its characters. They are all products of Nintendo. I am not making a profit in any way from the creation of this fanfiction.
WARNING: This story contains HEAVY YAOI. That means male/male homoerotic realtionships. If that is something you don't enjoy reading about then I suggest you go elsewhere. Rated M for violence, language and strong sexual content.
PROLOGUE
In any war there are heroes on both sides. Every solider believes that what they are fighting for is correct, and everyone else who thinks differently is an enemy. Some soldiers are smart, and others are strong. One soldier may be a gifted archer, and another might be exceptional as a swordsman. In all cases, all soldiers have unique gifts that make an army what it is. Some are blessed with unusual gifts of strength, valor and intelligence – ones that are distinguished among all the others.
These soldiers with these blessed attributes can rise above the others, and maybe even achieve leading ranks, so that they can command others of their own. But the ones who are truly blessed are the ones who achieve fame, as well as glory, for what they do. They accomplish something great: a deed that everyone will remember, something that all people, not just their side can appreciate and enjoy. The soldiers that achieve this rare, difficult feat will be labeled as heroes – their names written down in history where they will live forever.
One such hero was found in the form of an unlikely Hylian boy who was orphaned at a young age and raised as a Kokiri. Strangely enough, this boy was not a soldier, but just another common person born under an unusual star. He alone stood against the armies of darkness and rose against a great evil, which had manifested itself in the form of a male Gerudo: Ganondorf, King of Thieves.
Every hero needs a great villain, and both the names of good and the wicked are left marked in history forever. The names of their allies and underlings are hardly ever mentioned, because what would a lowly subordinate posses that could be worthy of heroism? But in this case, one such a person would be a tremendous exception. A different sort of hero who was born of darkness without a soul, yet whose heart made him more human and more heroic than all else. A boy whose deadly silence became the power behind his dedication to justice, and whose massive hate and rage became the power behind his love.
In every war there are heroes on both sides. This is the story of a hero on the other side…
Silence
THE DARK SIDE OF A HERO
Written by: Follow the Untrue
Let us embark on a journey far to the west. Past the lush, green plains of the wide open countryside of Hyrule, beyond the deep, serene blue of Lake Hylia. Further past the gently rolling hills and mountains of Gerudo Valley, and deep into the hot, sandy shadows of the treacherous Haunted Wasteland. Here we venture into a hell that breaks the seals between the worldly and the supernatural, where many a brave and foolish adventurer has disappeared into the raging storms of wind and earth, or stolen away by the wrathful spirits that linger here in silence, lusting for the taste of mortals.
There is an old legend among the Gerudo, the skilled band of all-women warrior – thieves, that only those whose eyes can see the truth may pass the burdensome and deadly trials of the this foul desert. With hidden deathtraps of sinking sands, freak sandstorms of ungodly rage, and the wailing of lost, malicious souls lurking in every step, it is said that even the Golden Goddesses themselves would not dare set foot on this forsaken soil. But it is here, in this awful place, that our story begins.
Deep, deep, deep under the shifting golden sands of the desert lies a certain cave, where a certain man sits, eyeing a certain unusual sort of art. A statue, it would seem, of a man. A young man it appeared, though the sculpture was not yet complete. The gazing man sat in his luscious chair of gold and crimson cloth, cupping his chin as robed figures vigorously and laboriously placed mound upon mound of soft, grey clay to the statue. He smiled as he looked at the creation with eyes that owned everything their wicked stare fell upon, even the very lives of men.
This was a cavern of secrecy and solitude, lit only by candlelight, and as cold and damp as the flesh of a loathsome Like-Like. A palpable hue of determination and anonymity hung in the stale air of the empty space. It was a lonely, gaping void with its jaws wide open. In this bleak, bare cave of wet rock sat a few shoddy tables of wood and stone, littered with dirty knives, hammers, rods, chisels and other curious devices. The whole of the cavern was splattered with large porcelain jars of clay, being carefully worked by obscure figures in long robes. These figures were devoid of faces.
They cautiously molded and shaped the clay in their hands, smashing and rolling it over and over between their skilled palms, feeling the sticky mud squish between their fingers. The faceless shadows were as quiet as a tomb, never stopping or faltering in their masterful work - never looking at each other or anything around them. They served to erect the beautiful figurine, and so they did that and nothing else. They did not eat. They neither slept nor drank. They never rested – never stopped placing loads of the sickly grey clay onto the statue. They were disturbingly devoted. These voiceless, faceless, restless and robed figures knew of nothing but their task: slaves to themselves and their craft.
It was a fragmented work of a strong and handsome young Hylian man. Although the body was complete in majority, core parts were still missing. The left arm was not to be found, and part of the right ear looked as if it had been chipped, or maybe removed so that a better specimen could replace it. Large holes occupied the spaces where the eyes, heart, and throat would be. In fact, the statue was completely empty inside: utterly and depressingly hollow. Yet the craftsmanship was profoundly exquisite. Such attention to detail of anatomy…
Every muscle was shaped and curved in all the right ways to create the perfect balance between beauty and strength. It had a lean build with a sinuous back, taut buttocks and dense legs. A defined chest led to a hard, rolling four-pack stomach and further on to generously equipped genitalia. The arm that was complete was burly, yet delicate, displaying utter power with a hint of vulnerability. The completed left ear was long and precisely tipped, framing a smooth, masculine face with a gently pointed noise and sensuous lips. They were slightly parted, no doubt for intention of adding a tongue.
If the eyes were finished, one would be sure that they would be dark, deep and menacing, yet loving all at once. The neck-length hair was layered and straightened, almost floating atop its head with its implied thickness and soft texture. Its bangs rested over the forehead, stopping short just below the eyebrows. It was a statue based on the ideals of mortal absolutes - engineered to the aesthetic and scientific ideals of perfection.
"How much longer until completion?" the man with the intense gaze questioned harshly.
A nearby robed figure turned slowly, noiselessly and extended two dead, bony hands. The thin, calloused fingers extended, forming an indication of the number six.
"Six weeks for such small pieces?" the man boomed, rising from his seat and glowering down at the figure from above. "What is the reason for this absurd amount of time? Surely the arm could not take so long! Is it the heart?"
The figure shook its would-be head. It sluggishly raised two fingers and pointed just above its superior's nose.
The man glared, and seethed between his teeth, turning red with anger. "The eyes?"
The shadow nodded, turned its back on the raging, impatient fellow, and silently walked away with slow, solemn strides.
The man grumbled and took his seat, crossing his legs. His foot started to shake with agitation. He placed his chin rested upon his hand, glaring out into the candlelit cave and at the exotic, magnificent statue. He suddenly grinned viciously at his own self-proclaimed genius. What an astonishing creation it was shaping up to be. He could hardly wait to see his long months of waiting, yearning and planning paid off. To see his dreams become a reality.
"It matters not," he said to himself, now sounding content. "He will be more than ready before time is up. And then HE will experience a force to be reckoned with. He will cower before my creation's might and plead for his life before his head is lopped from his shoulders. My Goddesses, I can see it already. It will be beautiful… He will be beautiful. He will be just the same as Him, yet so different… And so much better," he sighed, as a sadistic and joyous feeling overtook him. He gave low laugh drawn of pure insanity and pure brilliance.
"Hey, be careful! If you get caught it's all over!" warned a glowing, winged ball of blue light in a hushed yell.
A small blonde boy with pointed ears wearing a short green tunic, a large, green pointed hat and brown leather greaves smiled mischievously as he slowly peered from over the edge of a box-cut hedge. He gave a cute chuckle as he reached into a small pouch and pulled out a small, hard seed and removed the slingshot he kept tied around his red belt.
The winged blue light grew shocked as it put two and two together. "You can't do that! Stop!" she protested in a panicked whisper. It gave a little shake, emitting a jingling sound like a petite bell.
The little blonde, elfin child was eyeing one inept guard mindlessly standing about, supposedly keeping intruders from illegally entering the castle. The boy's tongue slightly hung out of his mouth as he placed the seed inside the elastic band of the slingshot and closed one gorgeous blue eye, aiming carefully. He reared back on the band, taking pure delight in his stealthy, fun-loving tactics. He let fly with the seed, and had to stop himself from giggling as the seed rapped the sentry in the helmet, making a loud, dull ding.
The guard winced as the ringing of his helmet caused his ears to hurt. He grabbed it, stopping the vibrations. He cursed aloud, and Link cupped his hands over his mouth to stifle his string of laughter. The guard put on a face of irritation and outrage, turning in the direction from whence the shot came. The elfin child ducked down under the hedge again, staying out of sight. He could hear the soldier stomping over due to the rustling and crunching of crisp grass. His rickety armor didn't help much either.
As the soldier rounded the corner, Link stepped out and bypassed the guard when while his attention was misdirected. The blue-eyed, blonde boy took solace under another hedge, peering around to look at the unnerved sentry. He grinned and shook his head.
"Moron," he insulted as he crawled away from the man on his hands and knees.
He came to a halt as he came across two other guards standing under a pavilion overrun with vines and ivy leaves. His face squinted in thought. How to get by these two? They were rather occupied it seemed, as their lips had been inexplicably glued together. Link watched in curiosity for a moment, and then averted his gaze to the pavilion surrounding them. He wondered if they would see or hear him if he just waltzed right by? They appeared to be pretty busy.
"That's…quite a sight," the Kokiri fairy commented. The elfin boy couldn't tell if she was mortified or intrigued by the tone in her voice. He nodded in quiet agreement, taking another quick glance at them. He advanced forward ever so slightly, still on all fours.
Link gave an innocent giggle as one of the guards moaned, and their hands wrapped around each other. He took that as his cue to push onward. His footsteps were quick, but made too much noise in the grass. One of the sentries made a noise in the back of his throat, indicating he had been alerted to something. He pulled away from his partner with suspicious eyes.
An expression of fear and slight panic spread across the elfin boy's face. He had to think quickly! He took one look at the architecture of the pavilion and went for it, using a single foothold and a little support from a long vine to pull himself up to the roof with incredible speed and agility.
The guard stepped out and looked right and left in search of whatever tore him away from his fun. He didn't see anything or anyone breaking the rules.
"Hey! What is it?" the other said. "Come back already!"
The first sentry shrugged it off and bounded back, continuing the events from before. Link could see them from above, and his eyes grew wide.
"Wow, they're really going at it," Navi said, transfixed on them.
Link nodded again, turning red from watching the display. He quickly shifted his eyes elsewhere when they began removing pieces of clothing and looked for a way to get off the pavilion without getting caught. He decided it would be best to jump away and duck behind another brush before anyone saw him. He stood up, hoping to the Goddesses that the roof wouldn't collapse under his weight. He crouched down, readying himself for the great bound. It was quite a distance away. He made a small grunt as his strong leg muscles propelled him forward. He hit the ground with a tumble and spastically dove behind the bush, paranoid that someone may have heard his rough landing.
Navi flew up beside the Hylian boy as he dusted himself off. She sighed. "You should be more careful. You could've hurt yourself," she scolded. Link giggled and suddenly darted forward again. She called to him in protest, ordering him to wait for her.
"I'm having way too much fun," Link whispered to his fairy-friend through an adorable, wide smile. "Who would've thought the gardens of Hyrule castle would be so heavily guarded and all the guards would be dumb and kissing each other?"
"Yeah. It makes you wonder how safe this place really is…" Navi responded.
"Let's go! We're almost there!" he said excitedly.
"There where? You just decided to come in this place. Do you know even know where you're going or what you're looking for?" she interrogated.
Link grinned. "Nope!" he responded eagerly. "But I've got a feeling it's close!"
Navi groaned. "Well wake me up when we get there!" and she zipped under his hat, causing it to nearly fall off the boy's head.
"Sure thing!" he told her.
He continued onward until he came to two more guards sitting still on a silver bench, their heads hung low. Link shot an awkward look their way, and then laughed. He couldn't believe it! They were sleeping! Unbelievable! He stepped up to a snoring man and looked him over, waving a hand in front of his face. The soldier didn't move in the least.
The Hylian boy smiled and skipped along, leaving both of the guards behind. He had the sudden urge to sing as he happily bounced away and took a left turn. He stopped when he reached a part of the garden that didn't look like the others. The castle wall circled the space, with ornate gothic windows placed at equally measured distances. A small manmade river traveled along the edge of the wall and flowers of vibrant colors and scents filled the patch of green land.
Link gasped as he noticed a figure dressed in a long white dress at the other end of the flowerbeds peering inside one of the windows. Navi peaked out of Link's hat, and emerged once she saw the person in the distance. She fluttered her wings about, making a tiny jingling sound.
"Look!" she exclaimed. "It's a girl!"
"Imagine that!" Link retorted. "…What should I do?"
"I don't know! Talk to her I guess? But what if she squeals on us?"
The girl gasped and turned quickly, startled by the sudden voices. Link cringed, thinking that he was busted. He took a step back, preparing to bolt in the instance that she screamed. But instead, it looked like she short of smiled, holding her hands near her face. Link couldn't quite tell at this distance.
"Oh wow!" she exclaimed with enthusiasm. "Is that a fairy? You must be a fairy-boy from the Forest!"
"A fairy-boy?" Link parroted. "How did know I was ga-?"
"She was talking about ME, Link!" Navi suddenly interrupted.
"Then…then you must have the Kokiri's Emerald!" that young, unnamed girl asked with great hope and expectation.
Link look puzzled for a moment. "Oh!" he responded. "You mean this shiny green rock?" he clarified, pulling out a brilliant, glimmering stone set in gold.
"Oh my gosh, that's it! Please, you must come over here!"
Link nodded and smiled. She seemed nice. He replaced the stone and sprinted across the gardens over the young girl, stopping a few paces in front of her.
"You're cute," she complimented. "What's your name?"
"My name? Well, it's -."
"Link, you say?" she said, cutting him off. "That's a nice name."
"Uh, yeah. How did you know?" he asked.
"Oh, you know…" she laughed. "…I don't know."
They stared blankly at each other for a moment.
"I'm Princess Zelda," she told him, taking a graceful curtsy upon the introduction. "I've got a story to tell you. Care to listen?"
Navi fluttered around Link as they ascended the steps to Kakariko Village. "I guess we're going to Death Mountain, then, eh?"
END: PROLOGUE
Author's Commentary: I hope you all are enjoying it so far. I'm satisfied with how the first chapter has turned out. I made it short for a reason: I didn't feel like making an enormous time leap in one chapter. Not much plot development here. Only thing was the statue in the cave deal. That's basically why I wrote this chapter the way I did.
I decided to do something a little different with Navi in this fic, i.e. NOT bastardize her. I wanted to make her protective of Link, but not annoying. I'm tired of all the authors that make her some bitchy nuisance. She was Link's GUIDE, not babysitter.
I'm also trying to break away from the characterization a lot of other authors give the characters. Like Young Link for example. I've seen WAY to many stories where the author makes Young Link some serious, hardcore warrior with a cold, taciturn personality. I'd have to say that just because Link doesn't talk in the game, that doesn't make him a bad-ass. At that point he's TEN years old. Do you really think he'd be that mature and jaded with the life he lived? He grew up and was raised by CHILDREN. Honestly…
Same with Zelda. There have been too many yaoi fics where she's bastardized to be some irritating whore. Frankly, she's a PRINCESS. She'd never act like that. And secondly, she's Link's FRIEND. I think that they screw up her character to "get her out of the way" so that Link and Sheik or whoever the pairing may be is free to be together. But when it comes down to it, THEY'RE the author, and those two are gonna hook up whether Zelda's a whore or not. There's no point in royally F'ing people up when there's no reason or excuse to do so.
So don't expect what you read in all the other fics to be here. I do things my way. I'm just telling you guys how it's going to be so I don't repeatedly get messages like "Your characters are OOC."
I'm done ranting for now. I hope I didn't scare all of you away. Please review and tell me what you think of it so far! CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcome.
PLEASE REVIEW!
And by the way, if anyone is interested in being my beta for this story then please feel free to let me know!
Follow the Untrue